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Hyperglycemia During Pregnancy and Long-Term Offspring Outcomes

  • Diabetes and Pregnancy (M-F Hivert and CE Powe, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review will focus on the long-term outcomes in offspring exposed to in utero hyperglycemia and gestational diabetes (GDM), including obesity, adiposity, glucose metabolism, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and puberty.

Recent Findings

There is evidence, mostly from observational studies, that offspring of GDM mothers have increased risk of obesity, increased adiposity, disorders of glucose metabolism (insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes), and hypertension. In contrast, evidence from the two intervention studies of treatment of mild GDM and childhood measures of BMI, adiposity, and glucose tolerance do not demonstrate that GDM treatment significantly reduces adverse childhood metabolic outcomes. Thus, more evidence is needed to understand the impact of maternal GDM on offspring’s adiposity, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, risk of fatty liver disease, and pubertal onset.

Summary

Offspring of GDM mothers may have increased risk for metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Targeting this group for intervention studies to prevent obesity and disorders of glucose metabolism is one potential strategy to prevent adverse metabolic health outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Monica E. Bianco & Jami L. Josefson

  2. Division of Endocrinology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 E. Chicago Avenue, Box 54, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Monica E. Bianco & Jami L. Josefson

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Bianco, M.E., Josefson, J.L. Hyperglycemia During Pregnancy and Long-Term Offspring Outcomes. Curr Diab Rep 19, 143 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-019-1267-6

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