Diabetes during pregnancy increases risk for offspring

According to a study, children or teenagers whose mother had diabetes during her pregnancy have an increased risk of the disorder. The study throws details by using those children or teenagers whose mothers had gestational diabetes, was almost twice as likely to develop diabetes themselves before the age of 22 years.

If you thought diabetes only had two types, type 1 and type 2 – you clearly don’t know the full picture. Turns out, there’s another type of diabetes - gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that is first seen in a pregnant woman who did not have diabetes before she was pregnant. Some women have more than one pregnancy affected by gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually shows up in the middle of pregnancy. This can be tricky. But this type of diabetes usually has no symptom.

The research team said they found this link in children from birth to the age of 22, from birth to 12 years and from 12 years to 22 years. The research was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

"Although Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes in parents are well-established risk factors for diabetes, we show that gestational diabetes mellitus may be a risk indicator for diabetes in the mother's children before age 22," said Kaberi Dasgupta, clinician-scientist from the McGill University in Canada.

"This link of diabetes in children and youth with gestational diabetes in the mother has the potential to stimulate clinicians, parents, and children and youth themselves to consider the possibility of diabetes if offspring of a mother with gestational diabetes mellitus develop signs and symptoms such as frequent urination, abnormal thirst, weight loss or fatigue," said Dasgupta.


The World Health Organization recommends treating diabetes by avoiding its consequences by consuming a good diet, a good dose of physical activity, medication and regular screening and treatment for complications.