Nearly 10 million American women have diabetes, according to National Institutes of Health. It is the sixth leading cause of death and a major contributor to heart disease, which is the No. 1 killer of women.

Diabetes is an important women’s health issue as this chronic disease can create a multitude of problems in women. For example, deaths from heart disease in diabetic women rose 23 percent over the past 30 years, compared to a decrease of 27 percent in nondiabetic women, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Women with diabetes have a greater risk than nondiabetic women of developing vaginal and urinary tract infections, especially during pregnancy. Even for women who do not have diabetes, an estimated 2 to 5 percent of pregnancies result in the development of gestational diabetes. Although this form of diabetes disappears after delivery, women who have had gestational diabetes have a much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Additionally, women are at increased risk for many diabetic complications. In some cases, the rates of these complications are higher for women than men.