WASHINGTON: A new American study has shown that diabetes during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of brain and nervous system problems in children, particularly autism.
The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, showed that diabetes diagnosed before pregnancy increases the risk of one or more neurodevelopmental disorders by 39 per cent compared to gestational diabetes, which begins during pregnancy and often resolves afterward.
According to the researchers, the findings highlight the importance of medical support for women at risk of diabetes and continued monitoring of their children.
Children born to mothers with gestational diabetes have a 25 per cent increased risk of autism, a 30 per cent increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a 32 per cent increased risk of intellectual disability, a 20 per cent increased risk of communication problems, a 17 per cent increased risk of motor problems, and a 16 per cent increased risk of learning disorders compared to children whose mothers did not have gestational diabetes.
For her part, Dr Magdalena Janicka of New York University Grossman School of Medicine said: “Such analysis allows us to compare groups more precisely, but they do not bring us closer to understanding the causes or underlying mechanisms”.
A large 'meta-analysis' like this one allows for analyses of subgroups, such as mothers with pre-existing vs gestational diabetes, or children with autism vs those with ADHD or movement disorders, but it cannot prove cause and effect, Janecka said.
"Meta-analyses allow us to compare groups more precisely. At the same time, they are not bringing us any closer to understanding the causes or the underlying mechanisms.”
The study comes as Trump administration health officials have called for further research into whether vaccines are a cause of autism, a claim long championed by new Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. that has been debunked by established science. — Reuters
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