Unable to conceive? It's diabetes!

Type 2 diabetes is slowly becoming one of the top causes of infertility...

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a year or more with no luck, it’s better if you get a blood test done to check your glucose levels. Diabetes is India’s fastest growing disease with as many as 50.8 million suffering from type 2 diabetes. And doctors are now looking toward this condition as the cause of unexplained infertility. If you are planning to conceive and suffering from type 2 diabetes, here are some lifestyle changes you can adopt to help improve fertility:

• Exercise regularly: Exercise is a key part of managing diabetes. Exercising helps you keep your cholesterol and blood pressure levels in check. Also, it relieves stress, improves muscle strength, strengthens your bones and heart, and keep the joints flexible. Try swimming, light jogging, aerobics, brisk walking, zumba, etc. Yoga also helps.

• Make some diet changes: Consult your doctor about folic acid intake as it helps reduce the risk of birth defects. Avoid sugary drinks and foods and consume more unsaturated good fats such as seeds, oily fish, nuts and avocados. Also, eat more vegetables and fruits, such as beans and lentils.

• Think before you take medicines: If you are taking medications for a condition, check them with your doctor as some medicines can interfere with your ability to conceive. Tell your doctor about the medicines you are taking, he/she may prescribe different medicines that are safe to consume.

• Say no to smoking & alcohol: Smoking can affect both men’s and women’s fertility, and people with diabetes can also develop conditions like kidney disease, heart disease or eye disease. Avoid alcohol completely while trying to get pregnant.

• Visit the doctor regularly: Visit your obstetrician as well as your endocrinologist regularly to make sure that your glucose levels remain normal before you get ready to conceive.

(The author is consultant, Apollo Fertility Brookefield)