Children born to mothers with diabetes are more prone to critical health issues such as heart failure, high blood pressure, and blood clots.

A research was conducted on the Danish national health registries data that included 2.4 million children who were born without any heart disease. The study considered data from 1977 to 2016. Follow-up that started at birth continued until first time diagnosis of CVD, death, emigration, or December 31st, 2016- whichever came first. Over 40 years of follow-up, 1153 of the children whose mothers had any type of diabetes- either Type 1 or Type 2- or gestational diabetes were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease developed in 91 311 children whose mothers who didn't have diabetes.

The absolute risk of heart disease among people under 40 is small, but that risk was 29 percent higher among the offspring of diabetic women than among the children of mothers without diabetes. Pre-gestational diabetes (i.e., Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes), were associated with a 34 percent increased relative risk of cardiovascular disease among offspring and gestational diabetes with a 19 percent increased risk.

The controlled group study made adjustments of factors such as the calendar year, sex, marital status. There were also maternal factors like parity, age, smoking, education, cohabitation, residence at childbirth, history of CVD before delivery, and paternal history of CVD before birth. It was also deduced that along with diabetes, maternal history of cardiovascular disease nearly doubled the risk for heart disease in the children.

According to senior author Yongfu Yu, a postdoctoral researcher at Aarhus University in Denmark, the study is in the initial phase. It's an observational study that doesn't demonstrate the cause and effect. However, he added, “It’s important to focus on screening for and preventing diabetes in women of childbearing age.”

During pregnancy, the placenta gives a fetus the required nutrients and water. Your body also makes hormones needed for a healthy pregnancy– the hormones blocking insulin starts at 20 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. As the pregnancy progresses, more hormones are generated. When your pancreas isn't able to make enough insulin, gestational diabetes occurs. Women with existing diabetes may need more insulin than the body produces. In any of the cases, it isn't safe for either the mother or the child.

The chances are higher for women above 29 or who are obese. Previous gestational debates or a family history of diabetes can also increase the chances of diabetes. Other factors include giving birth to stillborn or to a very large baby.

It's crucial that you start taking care of your health- at least from the moment that you plan having babies. In turn, you'll not only enjoy a safe pregnancy but have minimal chances of passing on diseases to your baby, too!

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