The long-term impact of maternal diabetes on neonatal health and lifelong well being

Maternal diabetes (MD), including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pre-existing type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), affects a significant proportion of pregnancies worldwide Emerging evidence suggests that MD include physical complications from cognitive and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) within the offspring. Methods: This qualitative study utilized secondary literature data analysis published from 2017 to 2023. Data sources included peer-reviewed journals, databases, and reports focusing on MD during pregnancy and its impact on neurodevelopment disorders (NDDs). Inclusion criteria encompassed studies exploring associations between MD [T1DM, T2DM, GDM, and pre-GDM-not otherwise specified (PGDM-NOS)] and cognitive outcomes in children. Exclusion criteria omitted studies before 2017 or lacking detailed diabetes and clinical data. Qualitative synthesis indicated that offspring of mothers with diabetes during pregnancy face increased risks for cognitive and NDDs. Analysis of maternal age distribution revealed distinct prevalence patterns across diabetes types, emphasizing age-related risk differences. Children exposed to MD exhibited higher prevalence rates of ASD (3.2% vs. 2.0%), intellectual disability (ID) (2.7% vs. 0.9%), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (6.3% vs. 4.3%) compared to unexposed peers, underscoring significant associations between MD and NDDs. MD during pregnancy poses substantial risks to neonatal health and lifelong well-being, notably increasing the likelihood of NDDs in offspring. These findings advocate for tailored healthcare strategies addressing MD-related risks to mitigate adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.