Diabetes
PDF Version
Spanish Version
Over nine million women in the U.S.
have diabetes. And three million of
them don’t even know it!
Did you know that...?
- Diabetes increases the chances of
having a heart attack or stroke.
- Some women get diabetes when
they are pregnant.
- Women who have diabetes are
more likely to have a miscarriage
or a baby with birth defects.
What is diabetes?
- Diabetes is a disease that changes
the way your body uses sugar.
The food you eat turns to sugar.
The sugar then travels through
the blood to all parts of the body.
Usually, insulin helps get sugar
from the blood to the body’s cells,
where it is used for energy.
- When you have diabetes, your
body has trouble making and/or
responding to insulin. So your
body does not get the fuel it
needs. And your blood sugar stays
too high.
What are the types of diabetes?
- Type 1—The body does not make
any insulin. People with type 1
must take insulin every day to stay
alive.
- Type 2—The body does not use
insulin the way it should. Most
people with diabetes have
type 2.
Are you at risk for diabetes?
- Do you need to lose weight?
- Do you get little or no exercise?
- Do you have high blood pressure
(130/80 or higher)?
- Does diabetes run in your family?
- Are you a woman who had
diabetes when you were
pregnant?
- Have you had a baby who
weighed more than nine pounds
or more at birth?
- Are you African American, Native
American, Hispanic, or Asian
American/Pacific Islander?
If you answered yes to any of these
questions, ask your doctor, nurse, or
pharmacist if you need a diabetes
test.
What are the warning signs?
Some people with diabetes notice:
- Going to the bathroom a lot
- Feeling hungry or thirsty all the
time
- Blurred vision
- Cuts or bruises that are slow to
heal
- Feeling tired all the time
- Hands or feet that tingle or feel
numb
Most people with diabetes do not notice any signs
What can I do if I have diabetes?
Use medicines wisely
- Sometimes people with diabetes
need to take pills or insulin shots.
Follow the directions.
- Ask your doctor, nurse, or
pharmacist what your medicines
do. Also ask when to take them
and if they have any side effects.
Watch what you eat and get
exercise
- There is no one diet for people
with diabetes. Work with your
health care team to come up with
a plan for you.
- Be active at least 30 minutes
a day, most days of the week.
Exercise helps your body use
insulin better.
Check your blood sugar and know
your ABC’s
- Help prevent heart disease and
stroke by keeping your blood
sugar, blood pressure, and
cholesterol under control.
- Check your blood sugar with a
test you can use at home.
- Ask your doctor for an A-1-C
(“A-one-see”) blood test. It checks
blood sugar levels over 2 to 3
months.
- Talk to your health care team
about your ABC’s:
A-1-C
Blood pressure
Cholesterol
To Learn More:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Diabetes Information
www.fda.gov/diabetes
FDA Office of Women’s Health
www.fda.gov/womens
2007