Influence of preterm birth on the association between gestational diabetes mellitus and childhood developmental vulnerability: a causal mediation analysis.

Bereket Duko, Amanuel Tesfay Gebremedhin, Gizachew Assefa Tessema, Gavin Pereira

Abstract read

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Article in World journal of pediatrics : WJP, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed

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3 · Its place in the literature

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2 citing papers in PubMed.

Perinatal and Childhood Risk Factors of Adverse Early Childhood Developmental Outcomes: A Systematic Review Using a Socioecological Model.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
Review
Associations of maternal perinatal depressive disorders with autism spectrum disorder in offspring: Findings from a data-linkage cohort study.The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry · 2025
Article

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5 · Who and what money

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4 authors.

Bereket DukoAustralian Centre for Precision Health, UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. bereketduko.adema@curtin.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-4419-0016

Amanuel Tesfay GebremedhinCurtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.

Gizachew Assefa TessemaCurtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.

Gavin PereiraCurtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator #1195716.National Health and Medical Research Council Project and Investigator #1099655 AND #1173991,Research Council of Norway through its Centres of Excellence #262700.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEpidemiological studies examining the direct and indirect effects of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on offspring early childhood developmental vulnerability are lacking. Therefore, the aims of this study were to estimate the direct and indirect effects of GDM (through preterm birth) on early childhood developmental vulnerability.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study on the association between gestational diabetes mellitus and early childhood developmental vulnerability in children born in Western Australia (WA) using maternal, infant and birth records from the Midwives Notification, Hospitalizations, Developmental Anomalies, and the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) databases. We used two aggregated outcome measures: developmentally vulnerable on at least one AEDC domain (DV1) and developmentally vulnerable on at least two AEDC domains (DV2). Causal mediation analysis was applied to estimate the natural direct (NDE), indirect (NIE), and total (TE) effects as relative risks (RR).

resultsIn the whole cohort (n = 64,356), approximately 22% were classified as DV1 and 11% as DV2 on AEDC domains. Estimates of the natural direct effect suggested that children exposed to GDM were more likely to be classified as DV1 (RR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.31) and DV2 (RR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.19-1.50) after adjusting for potential confounders. About 6% and 4% of the effect of GDM on early childhood developmental vulnerability was mediated by preterm birth for DV1 and DV2, respectively.

conclusionChildren exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus were more likely to be developmentally vulnerable in one or more AEDC domains. The biological mechanism for these associations is not well explained by mediation through preterm birth.

Indexed as

Diabetes, GestationalPremature BirthAustraliaChildChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMediation AnalysisPregnancyRetrospective StudiesCausal mediation analysisChild developmentGestational diabetes mellitusOffspring

Identifiers

PMID37523007

DOI10.1007/s12519-023-00741-7

PMCPMC10827844

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LicenceCC BY

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