Grant: Project Grant

Women with diabetes in pregnancy continue to have poor pregnancy outcomes. The most common complications are large babies, babies that are born early, and babies admitted to neonatal care, often with low blood sugars. Mothers' blood sugars during pregnancy may also affect the long-term health of their children, with some studies suggesting childhood learning difficulties and behaviour problems. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (also called CGM) gives detailed information about mothers' and babies' exposure to high and low blood sugars during pregnancy. CONCEPTT was a trial of CGM use in pregnant people with diabetes. It found that CGM use halved the risk of newborn complications including rates of overweight babies, neonatal care admissions and babies with low blood sugar levels. However, we do not know if better blood sugars during pregnancy and/or fewer pregnancy complications will result in improved learning and behaviour in children of women with diabetes. Objective of research: This study will examine the relationship between mothers' blood sugars during pregnancy and childhood learning and behaviour challenges. Methods: Women in the CONCEPTT trial will be invited to have their children participate in this study. Parents will complete questionnaires online that ask about their child's learning and behaviour. These will be related to mother's blood sugars during pregnancy and to newborn complications. Impact of research: Managing blood sugars is demanding, particularly during pregnancy. This research would allow us to identify blood sugar patterns in pregnancy that could be harmful for children and facilitate the development of strategies to avoid these sugar patterns. It could also help in the early identification of children for whom timely intervention has been shown to help children improve skills such as problem solving and memory.