Birth-Defect Rate Triple for Diabetic Moms

Birth defects are much more likely if the mother is diabetic, researchers say. The new study used birth records for 10 states. Researchers looked at 13,000 births involving a birth defect. They were compared with 5,000 healthy births. Birth defects were three to four times more common if the mother had diabetes before pregnancy. Nearly 40 types of birth defects were involved. Prior research had not linked this many types to diabetes. The Associated Press wrote about the study July 30. It was in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.