Prior research indicates maternal diabetes may impact a fetus’s brain by causing hypoxia or oxidative stress. Some studies indicated their children were more likely to have Autism and Attention Deficit Disorder.

A Danish population study of more than 2.4 million offspring (51% male) between 1976 and 2016 investigated the relationship between maternal diabetes during pregnancy and the onset of ten psychiatric disorders. Researchers controlled for parental history of psychiatric disorders, educational level, smoking habits, and body mass index. 

Results? During the 39-year follow-up, 6.4% of the offspring had received a diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder. Offspring born to mothers with any type of diabetes during pregnancy as compared to those without diabetes were more likely to develop a psychiatric disorder. Disorders included schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, intellectual disabilities, behavioral, and other developmental disorders, but not substance use, eating, mood or personality disorders. 

Thus, give good prenatal care.  Screen and treat diabetes in fertile women, especially those overweight. Many mental disorders have physiological causes. Don’t stigmatize or blame mothers or offspring nor anyone who has mental health issues.  Give empathy, support, and encourage those in need to seek research based therapy.

Written by Vanessa Melendez, B.S.

Reference:  Nogueira Avelar e Silva, R., Yu, Y., Liew, Z., Vested, A., Sørensen, H. T., & Li, J. (2021). Associations of maternal diabetes during pregnancy with psychiatric disorders in offspring during the first 4 decades of life in a population-based Danish birth cohort. JAMA Network Open