A systematic review of maternal diabetes and congenital skeletal malformation

The magnitude of association of skeletal anomalies with maternal diabetes is not known. The systemic review was done to detect the frequency of congenital skeletal malformations with diabetes mellitus in pregnancy in the literature evidence of the past 50 years. Literature on maternal diabetes and skeletal malformation was searched by two independent authors by following PRISMA guidelines. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed. After quality assessment, 21 original articles were included. The frequency of congenital malformation, skeletal malformation was extracted from the included studies. 11,574 congenital anomalies were detected diabetic mothers. 1182 skeletal anomalies were noted in 20,11 552 diabetic mothers. The skeletal malformation was noted in 20.4% of total anomalies. The most common skeletal malformation was the defect of the spine (39.9%). The limb deficiency was found in 32.8% of the infants of diabetic mothers. The skeletal malformations were higher, that is, 24.6% in pre-gestational diabetes. The incidence of skeletal malformation from the evidence was 1.5% (range: 0.03-4.27%) in maternal diabetes. Pre-gestation diabetes is more frequently associated with skeletal malformations, which is 1.9% (range: 0.07-5.89%). The association of congenital malformations and skeletal malformations in diabetic pregnancy is significant and hence, effective management of diabetes in childbearing age is essential to reduce this incidence and related long-term morbidity.