Women with PCOS: Help Prevent Gestational Diabetes this November

Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome may be at increased risk for gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that affects 3% to 10% of all pregnant women. Almost 26 million Americans have diabetes and one more American becomes diagnosed every 17 seconds. In 2010 alone, there were almost 2 million new cases in
the United States. Gestational diabetes is temporary and goes away once the child is born, but why do women with PCOS need to watch out for it?

It's not always temporary...

Well, technically, gestational diabetes is temporary. But it can lead to diabetes which affects people for the rest of their lives. But why's diabetes so bad?

Health issues for the mother

Imagine having to stick a needle in your arm every single day. That's what people with type 1 diabetes (and some with type 2) have to deal with since their bodies can't produce insulin. Luckily for us, gestational diabetes rarely leads to type 1 diabetes, but it still does on occasion.

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is a less uncommon consequence of gestational diabetes but it's still not something you want to get. If left untreated, both forms of diabetes can cost people their extremities (fingers and toes) since diabetics have bad blood circulation. Late stage diabetes can cause blindness, kidney failure,
neuropathy, and death, especially if it's untreated.

Health issues for the baby

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes can be macrosomic, so they're so large that there can be problems during delivery, such as the umbilical cord becoming wrapped around the baby's neck. Jaundice and low blood sugar is also not unheard of, both of which make the baby's first few months unpleasant.

What can I do to help spread diabetes awareness?

American Diabetes Month was initiated by the American Diabetes Association, a group of people who want spread awareness about diabetes and make it easier and cheaper for people to find treatments.


That's why a group of concerned people started Diabetes Resource Page. You can go there to learn about how to help mothers, children, and other people with diabetes, and

also learn how to help prevent diabetes. For example, by simply cutting down on junk food, you reduce
the amount of the amount of simple sugars you intake, which helps keep your insulin receptors running smoothly and reduces the chance of getting type 2 diabetes. So that diabetes treatment is accessible to everyone, you can also get great coupons on diabetes-related products from companies like Life Script, Remedy Life, and P&G.



Plus, you're invited to help promote Diabetes Resource Page, so you can directly save
the lives of mothers living with PCOS, diabetics, and children.

Guest post by Murray Newlands, CEO and Founder of Influence People.




Disclaimer: Influence People does blogger relations outreach for Diabetes Resource
Page.