Effects of diabetes mellitus during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes and growth and development of children aged 0-6 years: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) are jointly termed as diabetes mellitus during pregnancy. This condition exhibits a relatively high incidence rate and exerts adverse impacts on both the mother and the fetus. Objective: To investigate the differential pregnancy outcomes and offspring development between pregnant women with and without diabetes mellitus during pregnancy. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out in China. From 2014 to 2016, all pregnant women in a specific region of Beijing who met the exclusion criteria, along with their offspring who had undergone physical examinations at ages ranging from 0 to 6, were selected as the research subjects between 2014 and 2023. We analyzed the outcomes separately for women with PGDM and GDM. SPSS 27.0 and R 4.2.2 were used to analyze the data. Results: This three-year retrospective study included 49,912 deliveries from a specific region of Beijing, among which 49,765 were live births. The overall prevalence of diabetes during pregnancy was 8.6%, comprising 4,003 cases of GDM and 284 cases of PGDM. PGDM significantly increased the risks of neonatal hypoglycemia ( Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus during pregnancy is associated with a substantially increased risk of adverse outcomes for both the mother and the neonate. Nevertheless, the influence on childhood physical development remains indeterminate. Strengthened screening and management of high-risk pregnant women, particularly those with diabetes, are of critical importance for reducing the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and enhancing the health of both mothers and their progeny.