A study from the University of California and Vanderbilt University in the US explores the risk of children developing autism and other development disorders in relation to pregnant mothers having metabolic conditions, classified as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
The researchers concluded that maternal metabolic conditions could be associated with brain developmental problems in children. However, because of the nature of the study design, it can only show whether metabolic conditions during pregnancy are associated with autism and neurodevelopmental problems; it cannot prove a cause and effect relationship. Commenting on the study findings, Dr Matthew Hobbs, head of research at Diabetes UK, said: “This study considers the association between type 2 and gestational diabetes in pregnant mothers and developmental disorders in their children. It is important to note that, while it does show an association, it does not show that diabetes causes developmental problems. Further research is needed to answer some questions that were not investigated in the study. “This study found that children born to mothers with type 2 or gestational diabetes were about 2.3 times more likely to have developmental delay, compared to mothers without diabetes and who were not obese. It found that there was no significant association between a mother having diabetes and the chance of her children having autism.”
