Association Between Perinatal Risk Factors and Development of Type 1 Diabetes in Children

Perinatal risk factors may contribute to the development of childhood type 1 diabetes.

This study aimed to evaluate the possible correlation between some perinatal risk factors and the development of diabetes in children.

A case-control study was designed in a Children’s Medical Center. We enrolled 100 children aged 2 - 15 years with the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and the equal number of age and sex-matched healthy children. We used a questionnaire to collect data regarding some perinatal risk factors such as gestational diabetes mellitus, parental history of diabetes, parental age, preeclampsia, parental smoking, mode of delivery, gender, birth weight, gestational age, order of birth, type of feeding in neonates, and history of prior admission in hospitals during the neonatal period.

Children who were exposed to maternal gestational diabetes and preeclampsia were at the increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes with odds ratios of 3.789 and 3.150, respectively. Children with a birth weight of above 4 kg had an increased risk of childhood diabetes with an odds ratio of 4.25. There was no significant association between the other risk factors and the development of childhood diabetes.

Avoidance of predisposing factors, appropriate prenatal care, educational programs for improving awareness and knowledge in parents are simple, effective preventive strategies to reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes in children.