Women with diabetes are 5% more likely to have a baby with a birth defect compared to women who do not suffer from the condition, research has revealed.
Scientist found that women with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes had a 7% risk of giving birth to a child with health problems, compared with 2% of healthy women.
Problems include issues with the child's nervous system such as spina bifida, urinary disease and defects with the digestive, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems.The likelihood of giving birth to a healthy child was highest in women who had normal blood glucose levels near conception.
Women who have Type 1 diabetes have an 82.2 per 1,000 chance of giving birth to a child with health problems and for those with Type 2 the figure is 57.9 per 1,000.
Type 2 diabetes is generally connected to obesity and leading an unhealthy lifestyle.The findings appeared in the Diabetologia journal.
Study leader at Newcastle University, Dr Ruth Bell, said: "The good news is that, with expert help before and during pregnancy, most women with diabetes will have a healthy baby."
Copyright Press Association 2012
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