Research
Hormonal
Maternal obesity during the first trimester of pregnancy increases the risk of congenital heart defects and cardiovascular issues in offspring, mediated in part by maternal pregestational diabetes.
For women planning pregnancy, managing weight and blood sugar before conception is critical to protecting the child's long-term heart health. This is a preventative measure that starts before pregnancy.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
maternal obesity during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of congenital heart defects in infants, and this connection was mediated, at least in part, by maternal pregestational diabetes
Why this rating
Based on large population cohort studies and longitudinal studies, providing strong observational evidence.
Source
Interplay of cardiovascular health and diabetes: Insights into weight management and risk reduction
Chih‐Yao Hsu et al. · Journal of Diabetes Investigation · 2024
DOI 10.1111/jdi.14164
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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