Preeclampsia and risk of subsequent diabetes

[annes]

BAH!

[kara]

Ugh. And I have a family history of Type 2 diabetes. Though no GD for me.

[angelr]

I am not sure there is any way to know that everything resolves entirely at the cellular level...
It's a chicken and egg situation... did the preeclampsia do something to predispose us further or would we have just developed HD and DM anyway. With GD there is a hyperinsulinemia along with insulin resistance and we know that pancreatic beta cells can "burn out" eventually leading to Type 2 DM. So on that end I am not surprised that I have ended up here. Interestingly, everyone in my family has HD but no one has ever developed PE or diabetes on either side. So bad luck, coupled with bad genes, add preeclampsia and stir :o)

[caryn]

Yes, that's how I understand it too, although it seems to conflict kind of a lot with the idea that the damage from preeclampsia entirely reverses after delivery!

[angelr]

Yes, diabetes is one of the known risk factors for PE. Elevated blood glucose causes endothelial damage(lining of the blood vessels)which is why diabetics are prone to micro and macro-vascular damage. The maternal manifestation of preeclampsia is widespread endothelial derangement so I suppose anything that predisposes you to this damage can only work hand in hand to make things worse on both ends :o(
But on a positive note I know someone who is a very, very "brittle" diabetic who delivered a healthy baby at age 42 with nary a sign of PE...

[rebeccac]

So on the flip side, diabetes makes you more prone to preeclampsia (I already had (have) it)?

[angelr]

I had GD both pregnancies, PE both times. The first time (3 y ago) my blood glucoses went back to normal after delivery. This time, not so lucky. I have Type 2 DM now but still diet controlled (I am amazed how few carbs one should really be eating!) My BMI is 23, I am very active and have never been overweight. No one in my family has or had DM on either side. So I believe I am the perfect case of this phenomenon :o) Not happy about it but I can manage it.

[for faith]

Wow, had never heard this before......have Type I and Type II in my family (but no GD for me).....guess I am destined for it.....

[southerngirl108]

Great.....

[brooklynsmom]

Well, since I had one in each pregnancy, I guess I am really in trouble, then, hey?