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Birth defects risk to diabetic mums
A SOUTH Tyneside diabetes charity is urging pregnant women with the condition to be extra vigilant after researchers announced that their babies are four times more likely to have a birth defect.
The study, published in the health journal Diabetologia, analysed data from more than 400,000 pregnancies in the North East.
It found that the risk of defects such as congenital heart disease and spina bifida were increased.
Researchers at Newcastle University analysed data from 401,149 pregnancies between 1996 and 2008 – including 1,677 women who had diabetes.
The risk of birth defects went from 19 in every 1,000 births of women without pre-existing diabetes to 72 in every 1,000 births for women with diabetes.
Maria Ward, treasurer of the South Tyneside branch of Diabetes UK, said: “If an expecting mother has diabetes, she needs to make sure she keeps control of her sugar levels.
“She also needs to keep a close eye on her diet and the exercise she’s getting – like any pregnant women, but even more so.
“Women with diabetes are likely to have larger babies and will need to visit their doctor and midwife a little bit more because they are at more of a risk.”
The study’s lead researcher, Dr Ruth Bell from Newcastle University, said: “Many of these anomalies happen in the first four to six weeks.”
“It is a problem when the pregnancy is not intended or when people are not aware they need to talk to their doctors before pregnancy.”
Both Type 1 diabetes, which tends to appear in childhood, and Type 2 diabetes, largely as a result of diet, lead to problems controlling the amount of sugar in the blood.
This is known to cause problems in pregnancy, such as birth defects, miscarriage and the baby being overweight due to too much sugar.
There is concern that rising levels of diabetes, particularly Type 2, could make the issue worse.
Guidelines from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence say women should reduce their blood sugar levels to below 6.1 per cent before trying to have a baby.
* The South Tyneside branch of Diabetes UK is holding a meeting tomorrow, from 6pm to 7.45pm, at Cleadon Park Health Centre in Prince Edward Road.
It features guest speaker James Newham, from the research department at Newcastle University.
Twitter: @ShieldsGazVicki
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