November 21, 2000
Family Planning, Genetics and Heredity
Question from Madison, Wisconsin, USA:
I am 27, my husband is 37 and has type 2 diabetes, diagnosed when he was 30. He currently takes glyburide [a pill for type 2 diabetes] and Glucophage [metformin]. His most recent lab work was “good” as reported by his doctor. His HbA1c just made “normal” at 6.5%, his best ever since being diagnosed with diabetes. He does not smoke or drink, exercises 3-5 times per week, and works nights. My husband’s father has type 2 diabetes as well. My husband is one of seven children and the only child diagnosed with diabetes (so far).
We have not yet tried to conceive, but plan to try within the next year. What are odds of having children with diabetes? Does diabetes cause any problems with conceiving?
Answer:
The familial clustering of diabetes is more common with type�2 diabetes than with type�1 diabetes. The risk of your children developing type 2 diabetes is roughly 40-50%. A lot of things can affect this, including a healthy lifestyle, consisting of maintenance of ideal weight, exercise, and a good diet. That way, even if your children inherit a genetic tendency, there will be less chance of developing the disease. There should not be a significant effect on the ability to conceive.
JTL
