A large-scale meta-analysis has revealed that diabetes during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, the study analyzed data from 202 observational studies involving over 56 million mother-child pairs. After adjusting for potential influencing factors like obesity and socioeconomic status, the researchers found that children born to mothers with diabetes during pregnancy faced a 28% higher risk of developing a neurodevelopmental disorder compared to those whose mothers did not have diabetes.
Specific Risks Linked to Maternal Diabetes
The study identified specific increases in risk for various disorders, with children of diabetic mothers showing:
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A 25% increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
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A 30% increased risk of ADHD.
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A 32% increased risk of intellectual disability.
Notably, the risks were more significant for women who had diabetes before pregnancy (type 1 or type 2 diabetes) compared to those who developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
The Need for Vigilant Monitoring
The researchers emphasized the importance of careful monitoring of maternal blood sugar levels throughout pregnancy to mitigate potential risks. Although the study reveals strong associations, the authors cautioned that more research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and to establish a causal link between maternal diabetes and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Implications for Health Policies and Further Research
Professor Lucilla Poston, a maternal and fetal health expert at King’s College London, noted that while the findings are observational, they add to a growing body of evidence suggesting a link between maternal diabetes and neurodevelopmental issues in children. She pointed to MRI studies showing brain structure and function changes in children exposed to maternal diabetes, particularly in the hypothalamus, a brain region critical to both physical and mental health.
Poston stressed that prevention, early screening, and proper management of diabetes during pregnancy are vital not only for the health of the mother but also for her child. She called for more high-quality research to clarify the connections between different types of diabetes and the full range of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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