Maternal Diabetes During Pregnancy and Childhood Psoriasis Risk: What a New Study Found

When a mother has diabetes during pregnancy, it can affect the developing baby's metabolism and immune system in the long term. Scientists know that psoriasis—a skin condition involving inflammation and abnormal cell growth—is linked to metabolic problems and immune dysfunction later in life. This raised a question: does exposure to maternal diabetes in the womb increase the risk that a child will develop psoriasis? Until now, no one had studied this connection directly.

Researchers in Israel used electronic health records from Clalit Health Services to follow 215,280 children born between 2010 and 2023. They tracked these children through 2024 to see who developed psoriasis. They identified mothers with diabetes during pregnancy using standardized medical codes and separated them into three groups: those with gestational diabetes (high blood sugar during pregnancy only), type 1 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes. They then compared psoriasis rates between children whose mothers had diabetes and those whose mothers did not, while adjusting for other factors that might influence the risk, such as maternal age, pregnancy complications, and the child's gender.

Overall, 1,557 children (0.7%) in the entire study group were diagnosed with psoriasis during follow-up. Importantly, the rate of psoriasis was the same in children born to mothers with diabetes and children born to mothers without diabetes—both at 0.7%. The researchers also looked separately at each type of maternal diabetes (gestational, type 1, and type 2) and found no differences in psoriasis risk. They also examined whether how the diabetes was treated and how well the mother's blood sugar was controlled made a difference—they did not.

This study suggests that maternal diabetes during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of psoriasis in children. While this is reassuring, it is important to remember that this research looked at one specific outcome and one large population in Israel. Maternal diabetes remains associated with other long-term health risks in children, and it should still be managed carefully during pregnancy. Parents or caregivers with concerns about their child's health—including skin conditions—should speak with their pediatrician or dermatologist.

Source: Dermatology (Basel, Switzerland). 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.