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The Diabetic Intrauterine Environment: Short and Long-Term Consequences

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Gestational Diabetes During and After Pregnancy

Abstract

Fetal life is one of the critical periods when an exposure may have lifelong effects through biological programming. Intrauterine exposure to an excess of fuels, such as hyperglycemia, leads to greater birth weight and an increased risk of obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes. These effects are not limited to children of women diagnosed with diabetes. In addition to hyperglycemia, alterations in other maternal fuels or derangement in placental transport of fuels may be involved in fetal overgrowth. Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes and studies have shown an independent association of maternal obesity with excessive fetal growth and adiposity. Several mechanisms that are not mutually exclusive may explain these associations, including: genetic predisposition, shared familial socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, and specific intrauterine effects. Future research should further characterize the specific intrauterine mediators of short and long-term consequences, and provide better understanding of the biological bases of fetal programming. Such studies could ultimately lead to the development of strategies for early life prevention of future chronic disorders.

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  1. Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, 13001 East 17th Avenue, Campus Box B-119, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA

    Dana Dabelea

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  1. Dana Dabelea
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  1. University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Catherine Kim

  2. Kaiser Permanente, Division of Research Clinics Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, USA

    Assiamira Ferrara

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Dabelea, D. (2010). The Diabetic Intrauterine Environment: Short and Long-Term Consequences. In: Kim, C., Ferrara, A. (eds) Gestational Diabetes During and After Pregnancy. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-120-0_16

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