The University of Cambridge study found obese mothers who developed gestational diabetes are more likely to give birth to children who develop obesity and diabetes during their lives.
The babies of obese women who develop gestational diabetes are five times as likely to be excessively large by six months of pregnancy, according to this research led by the University of Cambridge. The study, which shows that excessive fetal growth begins weeks before at-risk women are screened for gestational diabetes, suggests that current screening programs may take place too late during pregnancy to prevent lasting health impacts on the offspring.
Gestational diabetes is a condition that can affect women during pregnancy, with those who are obese at greater risk. As well as affecting the mother’s health, the condition also causes the unborn child to grow larger, putting the mother at risk during childbirth and increasing the likelihood that her offspring will develop obesity and diabetes during later life. The condition can usually be controlled through a combination of diet and exercise, and medication if these measures fail.
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