Question:
From Ohio, USA:
I had diabetes when I was pregnant with my second child. Does this put my
child at a higher risk of getting diabetes?
Answer:
The child of an insulin dependent diabetic mother has an increased risk of developing diabetes later in life. In your situation where you only had diabetes during pregnancy
(gestational diabetes),
the risk to your child is probably increased but not as much as it would be
if you were diabetic all the time. Many other genetic and environmental
factors influence the development of diabetes. Therefore, it is difficult
to predict at this point what your child's risk of diabetes might be. There is not a need for any glucose testing at this time. However, develop a healthy diet for your child to avoid excessive weight gain (speak with your pediatrician about this). In your circumstances, childhood obesity can contribute to diabetes later in life.
OWJ
Original posting 16 Apr 1998
Posted to Research: Causes and Prevention
and Gestational Diabetes
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