Pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes may produce breast milk with unique properties that could positively influence infant growth and development, according to a new study.
The research, published in JAMA Network Open on Thursday, suggests that breast milk from mothers with gestational diabetes contains distinct metabolites found in higher concentrations that correlate with infant growth patterns, including potential effects on body composition and length.
The mothers, aged between 21 and 45 years at the time of delivery, had a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) ranging from 18.5 to 45. All participants had healthy pregnancies, delivered full-term infants, intended to breastfeed for three or more months, and had adequate social support.
Among the participants, 53 mothers with an average age of 34 years were diagnosed with GD, while the non-GD group averaged 30.7 years.
Milk samples were collected from the mothers one month after giving birth, and researchers measured various infant growth metrics, including the baby's weight relative to length and overall body composition.
The study found that mothers with GD experienced notable changes in nine out of 458 metabolites tested in their milk.
Specifically, three metabolites -- 2-hydroxybutyric acid, stearoylcarnitine, and phenylacetic acid -- were linked to growth in babies.
2-Hydroxybutyric acid, which is significantly more prevalent in the breast milk of women with GD, was linked with no change in body fat in babies within the first three months. Stearoylcarnitine, which is reduced in the breast milk of mothers with GD, was linked to rapid weight gain in babies. Furthermore, phenylacetic acid, which was also reduced in the breast milk of mothers with GD, was linked to a child's change in length as they age.
"A baby can die in utero due to uncontrolled gestational diabetes," Davidov noted. Another risk is that the baby can become very large, a condition called fetal macrosomia, potentially leading to birth injuries during delivery, he added.
Also, uncontrolled diabetes, especially earlier in pregnancy, can cause congenital anomalies, chiefly heart disease linked to heart defects, Davidov said.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is another risk to babies born to mothers with GD.
It is unknown how an infant's body processes these metabolites and whether metabolite levels are causally linked to the observed patterns of growth and body composition, the researchers wrote.
They added that as this study only "identified candidate metabolites potentially involved in the relationship between GD and infant growth, further work is needed to better understand their role in infant health."