A team of researchers at the University of Cambridge studied a condition known as gestational diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, gestational diabetes occurs around 6 months into the pregnancy. Previous studies in this matter have been made but the recent investigation, published in the Journal Diabetes Care, gives a more detailed description to the consequences of overgrown babies in the mother’s womb.
Women who develop the disease suffer from diabetes throughout their pregnancy even if they didn’t suffer from the disease before, and it doesn’t actually mean they will carry the disease after giving birth.
The team analyzed over 4,000 medical records from first-time mothers who took part in the study “Pregnancy Outcome Prediction” a study also made by the university of Cambridge.
The Results
While analyzing the database, investigators found that children that were born from obese or diabetic mothers were five times more likely to suffer from overgrowth during the pregnancy.
The overgrowth of the baby causes the mother a bigger risk for health issues during the child’s birth. It also means that these children are more likely to develop obesity and diabetes in their lives.
“Our study shows that the babies of obese women were more likely to be excessively large around the abdomen even as early as 20 weeks” Said Dr. Gordon Smith, senior researcher of the study.
The mothers diagnosed with pregnancy diabetes were 63 percent more likely to have an abnormal large abdominal growth.
The findings in the study give a better understanding into the importance of early testing for pregnancy diabetes. Normally this test is made around the 6 months of pregnancy period.
Researchers advise on the findings
The team suggests that women who are more propense to pregnancy diabetes undergo to tests in an earlier matter.
When diagnosing the disease earlier, the babies are less likely to suffer from complications at the 20th weeks of gestation and it could help the mother avoid risks or complications when giving birth.
“The evidence from our study indicates that there is an urgent need for trials to assess the effect of earlier screening both on the outcome of the pregnancy and the long term health” Said Smith.
Another recommendation for expecting mothers is to try to lose weight before the pregnancy and the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle.
Source: Tech Times