Maternal glycaemia tied to neurodevelopmental impairment in offspring

Maternal glucose levels below those diagnostic of diabetes remain predictive of impaired neurodevelopment in offspring at 12 months, a recent study has found.

The researchers included 1,036 mother-child dyads in this prospective birth cohort study to identify continuous association of increasing maternal glucose levels with neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring and explore the potential contribution of cord metabolites to this association.

Primary predictors included maternal exposure gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and maternal glucose values at a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 weeks during pregnancy. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3) was used to examine primary neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months in offspring.

In adjusted models, maternal GDM correlated with failure of the communication domain in offspring (relative risk [RR], 1.97, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.11–3.52).

Increasing levels of fasting plasma glucose (RR, 1.49, 95 percent CI, 1.09–2.04), 1-hr plasma glucose (RR, 1.70, 95 percent CI, 1.27–2.29), and 2-h plasma glucose (RR, 1.36, 95 percent CI, 1.01–1.84) were also predictive of higher risks in failing the personal social domain of ASQ-3. The linear association was exhibited.

Of note, boys exposed to higher maternal glucose levels were more likely to have failure of the personal social domain than girls. In mediation analysis, maternal GDM contributed to the failure of communication domain mediated by C-peptide.