BENGALURU: Doctors in the city have expressed concern over the increasing trend of Type 2 Diabetes in younger individuals between the age group of 20 and 30, which is leading to numerous complications in pregnancy.
Renuka Chandrashekar (name changed), a 28-year-old software professional, had to get an abortion in her twenty-eighth week of pregnancy because she developed the condition after she conceived. Because of her high blood-sugar level, the baby grew abnormally large and had developed a heart defect.
“Extra blood glucose triggers baby’s pancreas to make extra insulin. This causes the baby to grow abnormally,” says Dr Srinivas A, consultant endocrinologist at BGS Glenseagles Global Hospital.
He adds that if the mother’s glucose level is in control then the weight of the baby can be managed. In one case, this was done.
The diabetic mother was kept under strict dietary supervision during her pregnancy. “Though it was a caesarean baby and there are chances of the baby becoming diabetic in future, his weight at the time of delivery was 3 kg, which is an average weight of an Indian baby,” says Dr Srinivas.
Macrosomia babies, as large babies are called, are kept in NICU for a longer period of time because the lungs are not properly developed.
Doctors agree that the sedentary lifestyles of younger individuals including binging on instant-food and desk jobs are to be blamed. Dr Rashmi Yogesh, fertility consultant at Nova IVI Fertility, says that diabetes and hyper-tension are making pregnancies difficult nowadays.
Though diabetes in men does not harm the baby directly, many men suffer from erectile dysfunction because of diabetes. According to Dr Rashmi Yogesh, there has been 35 per cent increase on diabetes causing pregnancy complications in the last five years.
“A few years ago, Type 2 Diabetes was seen in individuals above the age of 45 and now it is commonly identified in individuals in their 20s, few of whom have already developed complications such as high-blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney damage and retina damage,” says Dr Manjunath Malige, consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist at Fortis Hospital. Among the age-group, the most vulnerable ones are software engineers, bank employees and executives.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
According to Dr Rashmi Yogesh, diabetes in women is also caused by a hormonal disorder called the polycystic ovary syndrome which is caused by sleeping late and eating junk food. This leads to increase in weight that triggers many other complications.
One and a half years ago, 28-year-old Meena (name changed), weighed 120 kgs. Her IVF pregnancy was unsuccessful because of high blood sugar. After a bariatric surgery, she conceived twins successfully. Dr Rashmi advises that losing weight before getting pregnant is the best thing to do and no amount of binging will affect the baby.