Risk for Autism Heightened During Mid-Pregnancy Diabetes, Study Finds
According to a new study published in the Journal of American Medical Association, children born from a mother who developed diabetes early in her pregnancy have heightened risk of autism.
Specialists from Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, Calif. revealed that they reviewed medical records of over 322,000 children delivered at Kaiser Permanente hospitals from 1995 to 2010. In the study, 130 of the 3,400 children diagnosed with autism, have mothers who developed gestational diabetes. The study concludes that mothers who have gestational diabetes at the 26th week of their pregnancy have 40 percent increased risk of having children with autism.
Although researchers could not pinpoint the exact link of autism and diabetes, learning and behavioral specialist Dr. Edward Curry stipulates that the high levels of blood sugar could be the culprit, as it affects fetal brain growth, specifically in areas that functions for social behavior and communication.
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In the same study, children whose mothers have pre-existing diabetes are not found to have increased risk of developing autism.
Although the study highlights the importance of undergoing prenatal care to include diabetes screening for those who have risk factors, Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York warns, "Although this study suggests the development of gestational diabetes during the first or second trimester of pregnancy puts a fetus at increased risk for an autism spectrum disorder, the magnitude of this risk – if real – is relatively small."
Autism is a developmental disorder that involves children having communication problems, intellectual difficulties, and limited social skills. To date, no established causes have been identified but experts believe that it could be due to genetic differences compounded by several factors including preterm birth, prenatal infection, and parental age.
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. It increases the risk for future diabetes and causes preterm birth and large babies with increased risk of having diabetes, as well.
According to the Center for Disease Control, about one in 68 children in U.S. have an autism spectrum disorder, while 14 percent of pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes.
