Taiwan: A recent study has revealed an association between maternal diabetes during pregnancy (type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes) and an increased risk of some neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in offspring. Neurodevelopmental conditions include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, intellectual disability, developmental delay, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy.
The retrospective study included 877,233 children born between 2004 and 2008 in Taiwan whose mothers had type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes during pregnancy. The effect of type 1 diabetes on neurodevelopmental disorders was the largest, followed by type 2 diabetes, and then gestational diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) was associated with an increased risk of developmental delay, intellectual disability, and epilepsy in children. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, developmental delay, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and developmental delay.
Key findings include:
In utero there were 0.04% children exposed to T1DM, 1.00% to T2DM, and 10.28% to GDM.
The effect of T1DM on NDDs was the largest, followed by T2DM, then GDM. T1DM was associated with an increased risk of developmental delay, intellectual disability, and epilepsy/intellectual spasms in offspring. T2DM was associated with an increased risk of ASD, ADHD, developmental delay, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy/intellectual spasms.
GDM was associated with an increased risk of ASD, ADHD, and developmental delay.
"Mechanistic studies are needed to explore how maternal conditions, such as diabetes, may shape brain development in the womb," said corresponding author Pao-Lin Kuo, MD, of National Cheng Kung University Hospital.
To sum up, maternal diabetes during pregnancy is associated with the risk of developing childhood neurodevelopmental disorders.
Reference:
Kuan-Ru Chen, Tsung Yu, Yueh-Ju Lien, Yen-Yin Chou, Pao-Lin Kuo First published: 21 December 2022 https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15488