Study links maternal diabetes to high rate of birth defects at IGMH

A significant study conducted at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) has revealed that a substantial number of children born with congenital anomalies were born to mothers suffering from diabetes. 

Published in the Maldives National Journal of Research, the study analyzed data from 17,188 live births at the hospital between 2016 and 2024. 

The research, authored by four pediatricians, Dr. Ahmed Faisal, Dr. Hamsa Arif Rasheed, Dr. Mihunath Musthafa, and Dr. Niyasha Ibrahim, identified 729 infants with a combined total of 1,215 birth defects during this nine-year period.

Of the infants born with anomalies, 313 were female and 16 were from twin pregnancies. The study highlighted that 312 of these children were born prematurely. Crucially, among the 710 mothers who gave birth to children with defects, 107 were diagnosed with gestational diabetes. 

The average birth weight of the affected infants was 2,862 grams, ranging from 630 grams to 5,000 grams, and mothers with diabetes typically gave birth at an average gestational age of 37.5 weeks.

The findings detailed several critical health complications for these newborns. Twenty-four infants suffered from low blood glucose (hypoglycemia), and 21 experienced dangerously low body temperatures (hypothermia). 

Tragically, 27 infants died before they could be discharged from the hospital. 

The leading cause of death among premature infants with defects was lung hypoplasia, accounting for six deaths, while two deaths were attributed to complications from diaphragmatic hernia and hypothermia.

In terms of the types of anomalies, the study found that nervous system issues were the most common, followed by defects related to the eyes, face, ears, and neck. Circulatory system issues ranked as the third most frequent condition. 

The researchers noted that since legal abortions in the Maldives are strictly limited to cases of thalassemia or life-threatening risks to the mother, the medical care required for children with major defects poses a significant challenge for both families and the healthcare system.

Referencing a 2024 report from the Statistics Bureau, the study observed a sharp decline in the national birth rate over the last decade. 

Congenital anomalies have emerged as one of the leading causes of mortality among infants and children. 

To address these rising concerns, the authors recommended expanding screenings for genetic and infectious diseases, ensuring better documentation of all maternal health conditions, and monitoring the use of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy.