A recent study has revealed concerning findings regarding gestational diabetes, indicating that children born to mothers with this condition face a significantly heightened risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. In 2021, gestational diabetes affected an estimated 21% of all live births globally. Delays due to this condition can result in serious health complications for the lives of mothers and their children.
Women who develop gestational diabetes usually have one or more identifiable risk factors. Individuals above the age of 45 are particularly susceptible if they have a previous history of being overweight or obese. What’s more, women diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are disproportionately affected. Women with a family history of diabetes are at an increased risk of developing the condition during pregnancy. The same is true for individuals with a history of gestational diabetes.
The implications of gestational diabetes go beyond immediate maternal health concerns. Research indicates that children born to mothers with this condition are 28% more likely to be diagnosed with any neurodevelopmental disorder. The study underscores severe dangers associated with gestational diabetes. It finds a 25% greater risk of autism and a 30% greater chance of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, it increases the risk for learning, motor and communication disorders.
As a provider of high-risk pregnancies, Jonathan Faro, MD, knew that it was critical to begin understanding these long-term effects. He added, “As we begin to understand the more lasting effects on children born to parents with diabetes, we can make better recommendations for counseling. I hope that we’ll be better able to provide expectant parents with targeted information on risks that may arise, as well as how to reduce those risks.”
Studies have found that gestational diabetes increases the risk of learning disabilities by 16%. It further raises the risk of motor disorders by 17% and a communication disorder by 20%. Additionally, there is an alarming 32% elevated risk for intellectual disability in children whose mothers had gestational diabetes.
Faro wants women to know that if you are already living with diabetes, it’s important to consult a high-risk pregnancy specialist. Meeting with one prior to pregnancy helps to optimize their health and minimize risks for the expecting parent and their baby.
The importance of the prenatal period for fetal brain development is impossible to overstate. We know that metabolic disturbances, like hyperglycemia, can actively disrupt this very crucial process. Continuous research in this emerging new field is assisting experts to assess how and when these influences they make take effect. Such knowledge may reveal opportunities to prevent or alter some neurodevelopmental disorders through the protection or improvement of maternal health.
Oakes, another researcher whom you’ll meet in this episode, pointed out that there was a growing body of literature. This study highlights the implications of moderate diabetes in pregnancy on children’s long-term health outcomes. He explained that long-term effects of diabetes in pregnancy are being more commonly researched. This includes understanding the effects of both pregestational and gestational diabetes on children’s health, metabolism, and risk for cardiovascular disease.
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