Morbidity and psychomotor development of offspring of women with gestational diabetes: a 5-year follow-up

• Published in: BMC pediatrics Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 1 - 493
• Main Authors: Bartáková, Vendula, Barátová, Beáta, Chalásová, Katarína, Janků, Petr, KaÅková, KateÅina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 20-08-2022; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Apgar score; Birth weight; Child development; Childrens health; Complications and side effects; Developmental delay; Diabetes in pregnancy; Gestational diabetes; Gestational diabetes mellitus; Glucose; Health aspects; Hospitals; Metabolism; Morbidity; Mothers; Obesity; Offspring; Overweight; Pediatric research; Pediatrics; Pregnancy; Prenatal influences; Prospective study; Psychomotor disorders; Risk factors; Womens health; Czech Republic
• ISSN: 1471-2431; 1471-2431
• DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03543-4

Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents a risk factor for both mother and her offspring in a short-term (perinatal morbidity) and long-term horizon (postpartum diabetes or foetal programming). Several studies focused at peri/postnatal outcomes of GDM mother´s offspring, however relatively few (and none in Czech population) were designed as prospective. The aim of the study was to ascertain eventual anthropometric and developmental abnormalities and/or morbidity in offspring of GDM mothers compare to controls in a 5-year follow-up using a parent-reported parameters related to psychomotor development and common paediatric morbidities including a sub-study of offspring of GDM mothers experiencing adverse perinatal outcomes. Methods A 5 year follow up study of offspring of GDM mothers (n = 26) vs those with a normal pregnancy (n = 63). An electronic questionnaire was used to obtain the parameters (such as growth, psychomotor development, vaccination, morbidity history etc.) available to parents from the parent-held infant health record. Data on pregnancy and delivery were available from the previous study. Results Offspring of GDM mothers had delayed psychomotor development in early childhood, but in 5 years of age they seemed to gradually achieve results of a control group. Children with macrosomia had a higher percentile of weight-for-height and were significantly more frequently ill than those with a normal birth weight. Offspring of obese mothers had worse verbal language skills in early childhood and a higher percentile of weight-for-height. Conclusion Maternal gestational diabetes and obesity can be considered an important determinant of postnatal offspring development and health status, which further advocates for broader implementation of preventive strategies. Keywords: Gestational diabetes mellitus, Obesity, Offspring, Pregnancy, Prospective study