Pre-existing Diabetes Increases Risks During Pregnancy

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Pre-existing Diabetes Increases Risks During Pregnancy
April 28, 2008
Debra Manzella, R.N.
About.com Guide to Diabetes

The largest study of it's kind, by Kaiser Permanente's Department of Research & Evaluation, shows that there is a rising number of women who have diabetes before becoming pregnant. Researchers kept track of 175,249 women who gave birth in 11 Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Southern California between 1999 and 2005.

The number of pregnant adult women with pre-existing diabetes doubled between 1999 and 2005. The number of teens who had diabetes and gave birth increased five times over.

Results of the study...

* Diabetes increased fivefold among 13- to 19-year-olds giving birth
* Diabetes doubled among women 20- and 39-year-olds giving birth
* Diabetes increased by 40 percent among women 40 and older giving birth
* African-American, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander women were more likely to have diabetes before pregnancy than White women.

Cases of type 2 diabetes are increasing rapidly in this country and around the world. Kids and teens are also being diagnosed with type 2 at a faster rate than ever before. Type 2 was typically an "adult" disease until the last few decades as obesity and an inactive lifestyle has exposed more and more children to the risk of developing type 2.

Risks during pregnancy increase when a woman has a pre-exisitng diagnosis of diabetes. Good prenatal care is essential and so is good blood glucose control. If a woman with diabetes is overweight or obese, it is beneficial to lose some weight before becoming pregnant.

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