Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2025
Author Spotlight: Exploring the Long-Term Health Impacts of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection on Offspring
Published on: May 17, 2024
Maternal gestational diabetes mellitus and risk of allergic diseases in offspring
Min-Che Hsu1, Chien-Heng Lin2, Ming-Chih Lin3
1Children's Medical Center, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Food and Nutrition, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan; Taichung Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taichung, Taiwan.
Insights
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria in children. However, GDM did not significantly increase the risk of asthma. Insulin treatment for GDM did not appear to elevate allergy risks.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
Background:
- Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with inflammation and immune changes in offspring.
- Potential long-term health implications for children exposed to GDM in utero.
- Previous research suggests links between GDM and various health issues in offspring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between GDM and the risk of developing allergic diseases in offspring.
- To determine if GDM is a risk factor for childhood allergies.
- To explore the impact of insulin therapy in GDM on offspring allergy risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) and Maternal and Child Health Database.
- Included 22,741 cases of GDM and a control group matched for maternal age, neonatal gender, and birthdate.
- Assessed the incidence of childhood allergic diseases: asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria.
Main Results:
- GDM was significantly associated with allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria in offspring.
- No significant association was found between GDM and childhood asthma.
- GDM without insulin therapy correlated with increased risk of allergic rhinitis, urticaria, and atopic dermatitis; insulin therapy showed no significant elevation in allergy risk.
Conclusions:
- GDM is linked to an elevated risk of specific atopic diseases in offspring.
- Allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria are identified as potential outcomes.
- The role of insulin therapy in modulating this risk warrants further investigation.
Background:
Gestational diabetes mellitus has been linked to inflammation, immune dysregulation in offspring, and changes in the microbiota. It may have long-term implications for the health of children. The aim of this study was to determine if gestational diabetes mellitus increases the risk of allergic diseases in offspring.
Methods:
The data source was the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. The pairing of mothers and children was established by connecting the NHIRD with the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database. First-time pregnant mothers between 2004 and 2019 were enrolled. The GDM group consisted of 22,741 cases. The control group was selected from individuals without GDM matched by maternal age, neonatal gender, and neonatal birthdate at a ratio of 1-4. The primary endpoint was the incidence of childhood allergic diseases, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria. The secondary endpoint was the risk associated with the development of allergic diseases in offspring, considering the presence or absence of insulin therapy.
Results:
The development of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria were found to be significantly associated with GDM. However, no significant association was observed between GDM and asthma. GDM control without insulin was associated with an increased risk of developing allergic rhinitis, urticaria, and atopic dermatitis. However, in the group receiving insulin treatment, there was no significant elevation in the risk of any allergic diseases.
Conclusion:
GDM may elevate the risk of certain atopic diseases in offspring, such as allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria.
More Related Videos
09:09Generating a Reproducible Model of Mid-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation using PolyI:C to Study Susceptibility and Resilience in Offspring
Published on: August 17, 2022
07:13Induction of Maternal Immune Activation in Mice at Mid-gestation Stage with Viral Mimic PolyI:C
Published on: March 25, 2016
Related Concept Videos
01:22Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
01:20Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
01:22Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...
01:15Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications
01:22Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
01:29Autoimmune Disorders
Concept and Mechanism of Autoimmune Diseases
The immune...