The study, presented at EASD 2025, highlights that children exposed to GDM in utero are also 45% more likely to experience developmental delays, emphasizing the broad neurocognitive impact of maternal GDM.

Current recommendations emphasize monitoring maternal blood sugar, maintaining a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, and tracking developmental milestones in children.

A comprehensive meta-analysis involving over nine million pregnancies reveals that children born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) face significantly increased risks of neurodevelopmental disorders, including a 36% higher chance of ADHD and a 56% greater risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Researchers found that GDM is associated with cognitive decline in mothers, with women showing lower cognitive scores prior to pregnancy, and that managing blood sugar levels during pregnancy could be crucial for long-term outcomes.

Potential mechanisms behind these neurodevelopmental risks include inflammation, oxidative stress, reduced oxygen supply, and high insulin levels during pregnancy, which may disrupt fetal brain development.

Experts stress the importance of early screening, accurate management of GDM, and ongoing developmental monitoring of children to mitigate these risks.

The findings underscore the need for early detection and management of GDM during pregnancy, along with postpartum developmental screening, to reduce neurocognitive risks.

Children of mothers with GDM tend to have lower IQ scores—about 3.92 points lower—and reduced verbal crystallized intelligence, although no significant differences in overall brain structure or general cognitive scores have been observed.

Additionally, women with GDM scored approximately 2.47 points lower on cognitive assessments during pregnancy, indicating potential cognitive decline associated with the condition.

Further research and long-term studies are necessary to determine whether controlling blood sugar levels can effectively reduce the neurodevelopmental risks linked to GDM.

Presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the research suggests that GDM may exert neurotoxic effects on fetal brain development, contributing to neurocognitive decline in children.