World Diabetes Day: Can diabetes affect your menstrual cycle? Know from expert

Women with diabetes are at risk of developing a condition called anovulation which could lead to irregular periods.

World Diabetes Day 2021: Diabetes can change a lot in our body and one of the changes that women suffering from type 2 diabetes might notice is irregular periods. They might make you irritable or low, but our periods can tell a lot about our overall health. Women with diabetes are at risk of developing a condition called anovulation. This indicates that ovulation, the process where ovary releases an egg into the fallopian tube is not happening.

Diabetes can also affect your reproductive health (Pexels)

Every woman has a unique menstrual cycle ranging commonly between 25-35 days because of a fine-tuned balance of hormones within their bodies. Ovulation or release of an ovum or egg occurs as a result of this hormonal orchestra and plays a critical role in ensuring regular menstruation.

"Women with diabetes are prone to having irregular and delayed menstrual cycles, usually because they don’t regularly ovulate. Diabetic women tend to be obese, and this is a major contributing factor in causing hormonal imbalance that leads to anovulation," says Dr Sunita Varma, Director- Obs & Gynae, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh.

Women with diabetes due to anovulation can develop fertility complications. Additionally, they are not only at risk of anaemia, fatigue and loss of energy, but also may develop uterine cancer later in the life.

"Anovulation also causes increase in the levels of estrogen, which is a hormone responsible for priming the lining of the uterus (called the endometrium), making it favourable for implantation of an embryo, if fertilization takes place. Increased levels of estrogen due to anovulation can lead to a thick endometrium leading to heavy and prolonged bleeding during menstruation. This can impact overall health and lead to anaemia with its attendant fatigue and loss of energy. Constantly increased estrogen levels over years can also increase the risk of developing uterine cancer later," says Dr Varma.

There is also an important association between Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) and type 2 diabetes. "Women with PCOD in their teen and early adult years have hyperinsulinemia or increased blood levels of insulin. This triggers a cascade of hormonal events leading insulin resistance, due to which their bodies are unable to utilize insulin to control blood sugar. The eventual outcome of this cascade leads to obesity and delayed menstrual cycles. These women with PCOD usually develop type 2 diabetes in their forties and continue to have irregular menstruation, more so if they are overweight," according to Dr Varma.

To avoid these troubles, it is advised for women with diabetes to make certain lifestyle modifications like healthy diet and regular exercise to control blood sugar levels and also regularize their menstrual cycles.

It is important to contact your gynaecologist if you are diabetic and have any of the following symptoms:

* Skipping periods for more than 3 months

* Heavy or prolonged bleeding with passage of clots during periods

* Erratic bleeding in between cycles.

Follow more stories on Facebook & Twitter