posted 01/07/03
According to a study in this week's British Medical Journal, diabetic men father lower-birthweight babies.
Researchers enrolled adult participants, who were previously part of a study of British births during 1958. In all, 34 diabetic men who had children and 24 women who became diabetic after parenting a child participated in the study. Researchers evaluated participants in order determine if diabetic fathers, or mothers with diabetes that developed after childbirth, could be connected to the low birth weight of their children.
Researchers found children born to diabetic fathers weighed an average .41 pounds less than children born to non-diabetic fathers. The height or social class of the diabetic father did not relate to the association of the father's diabetes nor to his child's birthweight. Researchers also found a child's birth order did not alter the effect of a father's diabetes on his child's birthweight.
However, researchers say they were surprised to find that diabetes in the mother increased the birth weight of her children. Researchers say, "Our findings support the hypothesis that common genetic factors contribute both to the risk of non-insulin dependent diabetes and decreased prenatal growth."
Source: Ivanhoe Newswire: British Medical Journal, 2003;326:19-20.
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