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Association between maternal glycohemoglobin in pregnancy and adult offspring cognition: results from the Transgenerational Effects of Adult Morbidity (TEAM) Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2025

Katherine Bowers Open the ORCID record for Katherine Bowers [Opens in a new window] ,
Kimberly Yolton ,
Patrick Catalano  and
Jane C. Khoury
Katherine Bowers*
Affiliation:
Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Kimberly Yolton
Affiliation:
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH, USA Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Patrick Catalano
Affiliation:
Reproductive Endocrinology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. USA
Jane C. Khoury
Affiliation:
Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH, USA
*
Corresponding author: Katherine Bowers; Email: Katherine.bowers@cchmc.org
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Abstract

Maternal diabetes, a common pregnancy complication, has long-term implications for both mother and offspring. While the developmental origins of metabolic health from prenatal diabetes exposure are well known, cognitive consequences in offspring are still being explored. The timing of hyperglycemia during pregnancy that most affects cognitive development and whether these effects persist into adulthood remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the association between trimester-specific hyperglycemia exposure and adult cognition in the offspring of women with pregestational diabetes. The Transgenerational Effect on Adult Morbidity (TEAM) Study evaluated health outcomes in young adult offspring of mothers with pregestational diabetes who participated in a Diabetes in Pregnancy Program Project Grant (PPG) at the University of Cincinnati (1978–1995). The TEAM Study visit (March 2018 - August 2022) included a comprehensive clinical examination and cognitive assessment (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence – II). Linear regression estimated the association between prenatal hyperglycemia and offspring’s perceptual reasoning and verbal comprehension. The mean age at follow-up was 32.1 years. Hyperglycemia during pregnancy was inversely associated with cognitive measures, controlling for confounders including maternal education and pre-pregnancy obesity. Higher glycohemoglobin in the second and third trimesters was significantly linked to lower IQ scores, matrix reasoning, and vocabulary subtest scores. Third-trimester hyperglycemia was also associated with lower block design subtest scores. In summary, hyperglycemia, particularly in the latter half of pregnancy, was associated with lower cognitive ability in adult offspring of women with pre-pregnancy pregestational diabetes.

Keywords

Pre-pregnancy diabetesoffspring cognition

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 16 , 2025 , e26
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with The International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)

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