Aishwarya Iyer
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Written By: Aishwarya Iyer | Updated : July 31, 2018 10:41 AM IST
According to a new research, children of mothers with type-1 diabetes have a significantly higher chance of being overweight. The research, published in the journal Diabetologia, found that kids with mothers of type-1 diabetes are likely to be overweight.
Type 1 diabetes is a condition that occurs due to the self-destruction of insulin-producing cells of the pancreas called beta cells. This means, the body's immune system generates antibodies against the beta cells and destroys them.
Health risks associated with Type 1 diabetes
Babies born to mothers with type I diabetes are susceptible to many risks like low blood sugar, low blood calcium, low blood iron, birth defects which may affect the heart, blood vessels, brain and spinal cord.
"Some prospective cohort studies like the recent one at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich-Neuherberg have also found that babies born to mothers with diabetes are more likely to have diabetes and be obese later in life," said Prof. H.P.S. Sachdev, Senior Consultant Pediatrics and Clinical Epidemiology, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, New Delhi.
He explained that this is mainly because the mother's excess amounts of blood glucose are transferred to the fetus during pregnancy. This causes the infant's body to secrete increased amounts of insulin, which results in increased tissue and fat deposits.
"The infant of a diabetic mother is often larger than expected for the gestational age (large for gestational age or macrosomic). Some studies have indicated that children of mothers with Type-1 diabetes are also at increased risk of having metabolic syndrome, as the intermittent high blood glucose levels in the uterus appear to have long-term effects on the child's metabolism and body weight," added Prof Sachdev.
Precautions for diabetic women: Therefore, certain precautionary measures are to be taken by diabetic women during their pregnancy. These include not only paving your way carefully through pregnancy but also taking ample care of the infant once he/she is born:
- If an expecting woman is diabetic, it is important that she consult her diabetologist to ensure optimal control of blood glucose levels through correct dosages of insulin and another measure including adequate nutrition during pregnancy.
- The first thing that a diabetic pregnant woman should do is eat well and eat right. Kickstart your day with a heavy breakfast.
- After the baby is born, paediatricians should be consulted at regular intervals to watch out for early signs of any complications.
- The first 1000 days i.e. from the day the child is conceived until the second birthday of the child, plays a crucial role in a child's lifelong development. Make sure all the tests are done and medications of the mother are in place.
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