Babies born to diabetic mums have higher autism risk

Study finds diabetes whether type I, type II or gestational ups Autism Spectrum Disorder risk

Children born to diabetic mothers have a higher risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

The risk is elevated for all three kinds of diabetes – type I, type II and gestational diabetes found a study published in JAMA.

Maternal preexisting type 2 diabetes (T2D) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosed by 26 weeks have been associated with increased risk of ASD in children in prior research. Less is known about ASD risk associated with maternal preexisting type 1 diabetes (T1D).

An estimated 23 out of every 10,000 children born in India have autism.

An estimated 23 out of every 10,000 children born in India have autism. The country also has an estimated 70 million diabetics and is loosely referred to the diabetes capital of the world.

Researchers analysed data from the Kaiser Permanente health system of Southern California. A total of 419,425 children born at 28 to 44 weeks from 1995-2012 were studied.

The study found that risk of ASD was higher in children exposed in utero to maternal preexisting T1D, T2D and gestational diabetes diagnosed by 26 weeks compared with no maternal diabetes exposure.

The study concluded: “The severity of maternal diabetes and the timing of exposure (early vs late in pregnancy) may be associated with the risk of ASD in children of mothers with diabetes.”