Index terms:
hyperglycemia, GDM
GDM, HYPERGLYCEMIA, GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as a condition in which hyperglycemia develops and is diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy.Metformin is increasingly used in the treatment of GDM. However, metformin crosses the placenta with fetal levels similar to maternal concentrations.Mice studies have shown that male and female offspring may develop different metabolic phenotypes after similar exposure, e.g., GDM or metformin medication during pregnancy.Previously, neurodevelopment of offspring in randomized studies comparing maternal metformin or insulin treatment of GDM has been followed only until the age of 18 monthsThe aim of this study was to assess possible long-term effects of prenatal metformin exposure on cognitive and neuropsychological performance in 9-year-old children. The study subjects were children born to mothers with GDM randomized to metformin or insulin treatment. Cognitive and neuropsychological outcomes between children of metformin and insulin groups were also analyzed in subgroups by sex. The age of 9 years, just before the onset of puberty and after completing the second grade of primary school education, was considered the most appropriate age to compare the cognitive and neuropsychological variables between the offspring of the 2 treatment groups.