Infants born to mothers who develop diabetes during pregnancy are at increased risk for metabolic changes associated with heart attacks and stroke, Chinese researchers report in the journal Pediatrics.
Such children "had significantly higher blood pressure levels and lower HDL 'good' cholesterol levels at follow-up," lead investigator Dr. Wing Hung Tam told Reuters Health.
Tam of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and colleagues studied 63 children born to mothers with diabetes during pregnancy, or gestational diabetes," and 101 children whose mothers did not have diabetes.
During follow-up to around 8 years of age, six children (3,7 percent) developed blood sugar problems or overt diabetes.
Compared with other children, children born to mothers with gestational diabetes had significantly higher blood pressure and lower HDL cholesterol levels.
Also, at birth, high levels of insulin in the umbilical cord were associated with blood sugar problems, Tam added. Hence, maternal diabetes during pregnancy could increase the offspring's risk of heart attacks and stroke.