New York: A comprehensive new study has reinforced a growing body of evidence suggesting that diabetes during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, including autism. However, researchers caution that a definitive causal relationship remains unproven.
The study, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, analyzed data from 202 previously published studies, encompassing over 56 million mother-child pairs. It found that children born to mothers with diabetes during pregnancy had a 28% greater likelihood of being diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder compared to those whose mothers did not have diabetes.
According to the pooled analysis, maternal diabetes was associated with the following elevated risks for children:
- 25% higher risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- 30% higher risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- 32% higher risk of intellectual disabilities
- 20% higher risk of communication disorders
- 17% higher risk of motor function issues
- 16% higher risk of learning disabilities
The study further distinguishes between pre-existing diabetes and gestational diabetes, with findings indicating that children of mothers who had diabetes prior to pregnancy faced a 39% greater risk of developing one or more neurodevelopmental conditions than those whose mothers developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Diabetes is a growing concern among expectant mothers, affecting up to 9% of pregnancies in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The prevalence has been steadily rising in recent years.
Interestingly, in seven of the included studies that compared affected children with their siblings, no significant association was found between maternal diabetes and neurodevelopmental outcomes. This suggests that shared genetic or familial factors may also contribute to the observed risk patterns, according to the researchers.
The findings underscore the importance of early medical intervention and consistent monitoring for women with diabetes or at risk of developing the condition, as well as their children, the authors stated.
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Dr. Magdalena Janecka, a developmental epidemiologist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine who was not involved in the study, noted that while the link between maternal diabetes and autism is not new, this study provides additional strength through its size and subgroup analyses.
“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,” Janecka said.
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The renewed scientific attention to autism comes amid broader public discussions. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of vaccine safety, has called for additional research into potential causes of autism—reviving a widely debunked claim that vaccines are linked to the disorder.
While the current research strengthens the link between maternal diabetes and child neurodevelopmental challenges, experts emphasize that further study is needed to understand the biological mechanisms and differentiate correlation from causation.
