Maternal Fasting Plasma Glucose Level in Early Gestation and Developmental Delay in 2-year-old Children

The association of maternal hyperglycemia with childhood developmental delay has been examined; however, only 2 studies used maternal blood glucose level as a continuous variable as an exposure. A present study aimed to investigate the influence of maternal fasting plasma glucose (mFPG) level in early gestation on developmental delay in children.

This cohort study included 1541 mother-child pairs who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study. mFPG level before 24 gestational weeks was obtained as a continuous and categorical variable. Developmental delay in 2-year-old children was assessed by mothers using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (third edition). Associations between mFPG level and developmental delay in children were evaluated using multiple logistic regression analyses.

The prevalence of mFPG level ≥95 mg/dL was 5.2%. At 2 years old, 15.1% of the children had developmental delays. mFPG level as a continuous variable was not associated with an increased risk of developmental delay across the 5 domains in children [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.004, 0.990-1.018]. mFPG level ≤70 mg/dL was associated with developmental delay across 5 domains (aOR, 95% CI: 0.464, 0.229-0.943) in children than that with a mFPG level 71 to 94 mg/dL. No association was found between mFPG level ≤70 mg/dL and ≥95 mg/dL and developmental delay in any domains among children.

mFPG level in early gestation was not associated with an increased risk of any developmental delays in 2-year-old children.