Awesome! 2 New Birth Control Options for Women with Diabetes!

What a way to end the year! Thanks to researchers based in California, Oklahoma and Ohio, women with diabetes now have two new, highly effective forms of birth control to use. The research , recently published in Diabetes Care, shows that women with diabetes can safely use intrauterine devices (IUDs) and under-the-skin implants. These are two excellent birth control options that other women have enjoyed using for years.

Why This Is a Big Deal

According to Dr. Steven V. Edelman, endocrinologist and founder of Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) , a national organization that runs educational (and fun!) programs for individuals with diabetes, this is great news: "Women with diabetes using IUDs and taking hormonal contraception are now not at an extra risk for vascular complications as they once were. Times are changing as having diabetes is not a death sentence or fraught with complications as it once was. People with diabetes are now living as long or longer than individuals without diabetes."

Why It Makes a Great Baby Gift

To prepare to become pregnant, most women alter their alcohol intake, quit smoking, exercise and make healthy food choices. For women with diabetes, there is an additional concern prior to becoming pregnant, they should try to maintain their average blood sugar level within a healthy range as a poorly controlled level increases the fetus risk of birth defects . For the best results, experts at the American Diabetes Association urge women who wish to become pregnant to keep their A1c level, which indicates the bodys average blood glucose level for the past three months, in a healthy range set by their healthcare team. For some, this level is below 7%. Having a reliable form of birth control, such as an IUD or under-the-skin implant, frees these women up to focus on making lifestyle changes that maintain or improve their blood sugar level. This gives their future child a chance for a healthy start in life.

Why It May Help A Womans Sex Life

The IUD and under-the-skin implant are two of the most reliable forms of birth control . Using them may reduce a womans worry about getting pregnant during intimate activity. She can relax and have more fun in the bedroom!

Why Its Great For The Future

I write and speak often about diabetes-related sexual complications in men and women. As a matter of fact, I will be chatting about this topic and sexual issues related to men with diabetes, on Diabetes Late Nite . The research for men is abundant, while data on womens issues is harder to find. I applaud the researchers who participated in the Diabetes Care study. They evaluated the health of 146,080 women with diabetes over 9 years. Kudos to researchers Sarah H. OBrien, Terah Koch, Sara K. Vesely, and Eleanor Bimla Schwarz for caring about the sexual needs of women with diabetes. I hope your study prompts others to put womens needs on the front burner, where it belongs. All women, including those with diabetes, deserve the opportunity to enjoy their lives to the fullest.