The 10 Diabetes Symptoms Women Need to Know About

More than 100 million Americans are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes, according to a 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s a scary number—and despite the abundance of information about health and nutrition, that number is rising. (Related: Can the keto diet help with type 2 diabetes?)

Here’s another scary thing: Even if you think you’re doing everything right—eating well, exercising—there are certain factors (like your family history) that can still put you at risk for certain types of diabetes.

Here’s how to recognize diabetes symptoms in women, including signs of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, as well as pre-diabetes symptoms.

Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune process in which antibodies attack the beta cells of the pancreas, says Marilyn Tan, M.D., an endocrinologist at Stanford Health Care who’s double-board certified in endocrinology and internal medicine. Because of this attack, your pancreas isn’t able to make enough insulin for your body. (FYI, here’s why insulin is important: It’s a hormone that drives sugar from your blood into your cells so they can use the energy for vital functions.)