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Early growth delay in diabetic pregnancy: relation to psychomotor development at age 4
M B Petersen1, S A Pedersen, G Greisen
1Rigshospitalet, State University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Insights
Children born to mothers with diabetes experiencing early intrauterine growth delay show significant developmental impairments, particularly in language. Early screening is recommended for these children to identify potential developmental issues.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Maternal diabetes can impact fetal development, potentially leading to intrauterine growth delay.
- Early fetal growth assessment is crucial for identifying at-risk pregnancies.
- Developmental outcomes in children exposed to maternal diabetes require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term developmental outcomes of children born to mothers with diabetes who experienced early intrauterine growth delay.
- To compare developmental scores of children with and without a history of intrauterine growth delay in diabetic pregnancies.
- To determine if early intrauterine growth delay in diabetic pregnancies is associated with later developmental impairments.
Main Methods:
- Ultrasonographic assessment of early fetal growth in 99 insulin-dependent diabetic and 101 non-diabetic pregnant women.
- Denver Developmental Screening Test administered to children at 4-5 years of age.
- Comparison of developmental scores based on maternal diabetic status and presence of intrauterine growth delay.
Main Results:
- 42 diabetic mothers and 3 non-diabetic mothers showed early intrauterine growth delay.
- Children of diabetic mothers with early intrauterine growth delay had significantly lower normal developmental test scores (23/34) compared to those with normal growth (46/50).
- Impairments were noted in personal-social, gross motor, and particularly language and speech development.
Conclusions:
- Early intrauterine growth delay in diabetic pregnancies is associated with a higher risk of developmental impairments in children.
- Children with a history of growth delay in early diabetic pregnancy warrant screening for developmental issues.
- Maternal diabetes and associated fetal growth disturbances necessitate close monitoring of child development.
Abstract:
Ninety nine consecutive insulin dependent and 101 non-diabetic pregnant women were examined by ultrasonograph to assess early fetal growth. In 42 of the diabetic mothers and three of the non-diabetic mothers the scan showed early intrauterine growth delay. At 4-5 years of age all children available for study were evaluated by the Denver developmental screening test. Only 23 of the 34 children of diabetic mothers with early intrauterine growth delay had normal test scores compared with 46 of the 50 children of diabetic mothers with normal intrauterine growth. The children failed in personal-social development, gross motor development, and particularly in language and speech development. Children of diabetic mothers with normal early fetal growth had scores very similar to those of the children of non-diabetic mothers, of whom 76 of the 86 tested had normal scores. This study suggests that children with a history of growth delay in early diabetic pregnancy should be screened for possible developmental impairment.