Could Respiratory Infections During Pregnancy and Infancy Play a Role in Type 1 Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Scientists have long suspected that environmental factors—including infections—may play a role in triggering or accelerating this process. A new systematic review and meta-analysis, published in EClinicalMedicine in July 2025, looked at multiple observational studies to explore whether respiratory infections during pregnancy or early childhood might be connected to the development of islet autoimmunity (the first step toward type 1 diabetes) and type 1 diabetes itself.

Respiratory infections—such as colds, flu, and other viral or bacterial infections of the lungs and airways—are common in pregnancy and early childhood. If these infections do play a role in type 1 diabetes development, understanding that connection could eventually help researchers identify which children might be at higher risk and inform prevention strategies. That's why researchers conducted this review: to gather what observational studies have found about the potential link between these infections and islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes diagnosis.

Observational studies are a common type of research in which scientists track what happens in real populations—in this case, whether children who had respiratory infections also developed islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes. These studies are valuable for spotting patterns and associations. However, they cannot prove cause and effect. For example, if a study finds that children with respiratory infections are more likely to develop type 1 diabetes, it doesn't necessarily mean the infection caused the diabetes. Many other factors—genetics, timing of viral exposure, immune system differences, and more—could be involved.

This systematic review synthesizes what observational studies have found about respiratory infections and type 1 diabetes risk. However, understanding the full picture requires additional research. Scientists need to learn more about *how* respiratory infections might interact with genetic susceptibility, *when* in development such infections might matter most, and what other environmental or immune factors might be at play. Future studies using different research designs may help clarify whether respiratory infections are truly a risk factor for type 1 diabetes or simply occur alongside other contributors to disease development.

Research into environmental contributors to type 1 diabetes helps scientists build a more complete picture of how the disease develops. While this review does not provide medical guidance for preventing type 1 diabetes, it contributes to the scientific foundation that may one day inform prevention or early intervention strategies. For parents, caregivers, and people at risk for type 1 diabetes, knowing that researchers are investigating these connections underscores the complexity of the condition and the ongoing effort to understand its origins.

Source: EClinicalMedicine. Evidence type: PubMed indexed literature. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.