How does Diabetes Affect Fertility?

Does Diabetes Affect Fertility

The source of energy in the body is glucose. Insulin is released by the pancreas and regulates the sugar level in the blood. If the glucose level is out of safe range, the body shows symptoms of diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that disturbs the body’s process to turn food into energy. In this situation, either pancreas does not release enough insulin (Type 1) or the produced insulin does not work as expected (Type 2).

Unhealthy lifestyles, food habits, and obesity affect the pancreas function to release insulin hormone. Thus, imbalances the glucose level in the blood and causes diabetes. If the sugar level is not regulated for a long time, it can affect the chances of getting pregnant. It can also create health problems during pregnancy that may risk miscarriage, cesarean birth, and stillbirth. Diabetes of type 1 is even worse as it can pass on to the child if the father is diabetic.

Effects of Diabetes on Male Fertility

It can affect male fertility in the following ways.

  • Loss of libido: Men with diabetes may face less erection. The low glucose level in the brain may cause fatigue, weakness, and low sexual drive.
  • Sperm DNA Damage: Diabetes may cause damage in the sperm nucleus, mitochondria, or DNA. It may lead to birth defects or miscarriage.
  • Sperm Quality: Diabetes tarnishes the sperm DNA, motility, or structure. It decreases the possibility of successful conception. 

Effects of Diabetes on Female Fertility

Research on the metabolic effects of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus shows that diabetes increases the menstrual cycle irregularity, thus affects fertility. Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour – the top gynecologist in Delhi NCR explains the following effects of diabetes on female fertility.

  • Urogenital Infections: Diabetic women are more prone to get reproductive organs damage such as harm to the fallopian tubes.
  • Risk in Pregnancy: High blood sugar level causes miscarriage.
  • Decreased Sex Drive: High blood sugar can lead to tiredness, anxiety, or depression. It causes low libido (sexual desire).
  • Irregular Periods: Type 1 diabetes may cause a longer gap between period cycles, heavy bleeding, and other menstrual problems. If type 1 diabetes is encountered at a very early age in a woman, it causes late menarche.
  • Absence of Ovulation: A woman with diabetes and low BMI can have irregular periods. It causes an imbalance in the secretion of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH); thus decreases the secretion of the gonadotropins.
  • PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a metabolic disorder that causes due to obesity. It is due to an increase of male hormones, ovarian cysts, and lack of ovulation. Women with PCOS are more likely to have insulin resistance.

Treating PCOS with IVF

Diabetes is not curable but it can be managed by controlling blood sugar levels. You can regularly monitor sugar levels with a healthy diet, physical activity, reducing obesity, yoga, and stress management. One can achieve pregnancy even with diabetes. It is suggested it regulate the sugar level three months before you start actively trying to conceive. SCI IVF Hospital – the best infertility clinic in Delhi focuses on all infertility issues and their treatment.

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