Love, Sex and Diabetes: Relationships and Intimacy
Talking to a partner, dating, sex and hormones, with honest answers to questions that can feel hard to ask.
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About this course
Talking to a partner, dating, sex and hormones, with honest answers to questions that can feel hard to ask.
Diabetes can touch your relationships and your sex life, and these topics are often hard to bring up. This course covers telling a partner, dating, how sex can affect blood sugar, and common issues like erection problems, dryness, pain and low desire.
It also looks at periods, menopause and hormones, and how couples can support each other.
What you will learn
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rezwana Parvin Rumpa is an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist with clinical focus on gestational diabetes, PCOS, and fertility. She holds the MRCOG (Final Part) from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in London, the MRCPI (Final Part) from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, and an MBBS from Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical College under Dhaka University. Dr. Rumpa serves as a Senior Medical Officer in the Obs and Gynae department at BRB Hospitals Ltd, where she has spent three years managing prenatal care, emergency obstetric cases, and women's-health surgery. On Diabic, she medically reviews content for women living with diabetes, with particular attention to pregnancy, PCOS, and reproductive-health intersections.
For learning only. Talk to your doctor before changing medicine or habits.
Chapter 1: Diabetes and Your Relationships
- American Diabetes AssociationAmerican Diabetes Association home page (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationPsychosocial care guidelines, Diabetes Care, Standards of Care supplement 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- The Gottman InstituteThe Gottman Relationship Blog (opens in a new tab)
- AASECTAmerican Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (opens in a new tab)
- National Institute of Mental HealthNational Institute of Mental Health: Caring for your mental health (opens in a new tab)
Chapter 2: Telling a Partner
- Mayo ClinicHypoglycemia - Symptoms and causes (opens in a new tab)
- NIDDKLow Blood Glucose (opens in a new tab)
- American Red CrossFirst Aid, Learn How to Perform First Aid (opens in a new tab)
- FDADrugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationAmerican Diabetes Association: Mental health (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationStandards of Care 2025, Diabetes Care, Standards of Care supplement 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- MedlinePlusLow blood sugar self care (opens in a new tab)
- CDCLow Blood Sugar (opens in a new tab)
- Mayo ClinicDiabetic hypoglycemia (opens in a new tab)
Chapter 3: Dating
Chapter 4: Sex and Blood Sugar
Chapter 5: Erection Problems
Chapter 6: Dryness, Pain and Low Desire
- International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual HealthInternational Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health home page (opens in a new tab)
- American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsPolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) (opens in a new tab)
- CDCAbout Sleep (opens in a new tab)
- Sleep FoundationBest Temperature for Sleep (opens in a new tab)
Chapter 7: Periods, Menopause and Hormones
- Diabetes CareDiabetes Care, Standards of Care supplement 2020 (opens in a new tab)
- Office on Women's HealthOffice on Women's Health diabetes page (opens in a new tab)
- NIDDKSymptoms & Causes of Diabetes (opens in a new tab)
- American Diabetes AssociationAmerican Diabetes Association: 15 management of diabetes in pregnancy standards (opens in a new tab)
- National Library of MedicinePubMed article 32810195 (opens in a new tab)
- NIDDKNIDDK diabetes page (opens in a new tab)
- American College of Obstetricians and GynecologistsPregestational Diabetes Mellitus (opens in a new tab)
Further reading on Diabic
- Diabetes and Intimacy Challenges: How to Adapt
- Sex and Diabetes: What to Know and What Actually Helps
- Diabetes and Relationships: Advice for Couples
- Dating with Diabetes: When to Tell a New Partner
- Erectile Dysfunction and Diabetes: What Actually Works
- Diabetes Distress vs Depression: How to Tell the Difference
- Low Blood Sugar Symptoms That Hit Without Warning
- Hypoglycemia Emergency Treatment: Act Fast to Stay Safe
- Alcohol and Diabetes: a Guide to Safe Drinking
- Glucose Tablets for Hypoglycemia: When and How to Use Them
- Best Order to Eat Food for Blood Sugar
- Smoking and Blood Sugar: Why Quitting Matters With Diabetes
- How Diabetic Neuropathy Physical Therapy Can Help
- Libido and Blood Sugar: What's the Real Connection?
- Hormonal Changes from Diabetes: How It Affects Men and Women
- 6 Tips for Improving Sleep Quality with Diabetes
- Diabetes Symptoms in Women: What Looks Different
- Diabetes Symptoms Women Often Overlook
- Preconception Planning for Diabetes: a Practical Checklist
- Diabetes Support Groups Near Me: Where to Look