Sorry to bring some not-so-good news today.

In a previous post, I touched on the alarming increase in the incidence pregestational diabetes (not be confused with gestational diabetes) – pre-existing diabetes mellitus among women of childbearing age before pregnancy. This study I am reviewing here investigated the link between birth defects and pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) in mommies.

The study examined data on 13,030 babies born with congenital defects and 4,895 babies without birth defects babies born from 1997 to 2003. They then looked into association between the mothers’ health conditions and 39 categories of birth defects, which included cardiovascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal defects.

Analysis of the large dataset showed that PGDM was significantly associated about 50% of all birth defect categories, both cardiac and noncardiac birth defects. Furthermore, more defects were associated with PGDM than gestational diabetes.

This doesn’t mean to say that women with PGDM shouldn’t get pregnant. There are many women out there with diabetes who have perfectly healthy babies. It is, however, strongly recommended that women with pre-existing f?diabetes should talk to their doctors before getting pregnant so that preventive measures such as blood sugar level control and vitamin intake be implemented.

I also hope that health insurance companies wouldn’t use studies such as these as their basis to deny coverage. Medical studies are conducted with the aim of improving healthcare and quality of life of patients and shouldn’t be used as weapons against the patients they are supposed to benefit.

Source:

Am J Obstet Gynecol, July 2008