title: Maternal Diabetes and Cognitive Performance in the Offspring: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diabetes during gestation is one of the most common pregnancy complications associated with adverse health effects for the mother and the child. Maternal diabetes has been proposed to negatively affect the cognitive abilities of the child, but experimental research assessing its impact is conflicting. The main aim of our study was to compare the cognitive function in children of diabetic and healthy pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted through a literature search using different electronic databases from the index date to January 31, 2015. We included studies that assessed the cognitive abilities in children (up to 14 years) of diabetic and non-diabetic mothers using standardized and validated neuropsychological tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 7,698 references reviewed, 12 studies involving 6,140 infants met our inclusion criteria and contributed to meta-analysis. A random effect model was used to compute the standardized mean differences and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Infants (1-2 years) of diabetic mothers had significantly lower scores of mental and psychomotor development compared to control infants. The effect size for mental development was -0.41 (95% CI -0.59, -0.24; p<0.0001) and for psychomotor development was -0.31 (95% CI -0.55, -0.07; p = 0.0125) with non-significant heterogeneity. Diabetes during pregnancy could be associated with decreased intelligence quotient scores in school-age children, although studies showed significant heterogeneity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between maternal diabetes and deleterious effects on mental/psychomotor development and overall intellectual function in the offspring must be taken with caution. Results are based on observational cohorts and a direct causal influence of intrauterine hyperglycemia remains uncertain. Therefore, more trials that include larger populations are warranted to elucidate whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has a negative impact on offspring central nervous system (CNS).
authors.affiliation: Abbott Nutrition, Research and Development-University Science Park, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camprubi Robles
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campoy
authors.affiliation: SEPLIN Soluciones Estadisticas S.L., Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Llenalia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garcia Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Abbott Nutrition, Research and Development, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lopez-Pedrosa
authors.affiliation: Abbott Nutrition, Research and Development, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rueda
authors.affiliation: Abbott Nutrition, Research and Development, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007360:Intelligence; D016743:Mental Competency; D011247:Pregnancy; D011597:Psychomotor Performance