Maternal Type 1 Diabetes and Epilepsy Risk in Children: What a New Study Found

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders affecting children worldwide. Despite its prevalence, doctors still cannot identify a cause in nearly half of all cases. At the same time, maternal diabetes—including Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes—is becoming more common globally. These two trends prompted researchers to ask: Is there a connection?

While evidence has been building that maternal diabetes may affect child neurodevelopment in various ways, the specific relationship between maternal diabetes and epilepsy risk in offspring remained unclear, with conflicting or limited data available.

An international research team conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis—a process of identifying and combining results from multiple high-quality studies to reach broader conclusions. Researchers searched major medical databases from their inception through July 2026 for observational studies that examined whether maternal diabetes was linked to epilepsy in children.

After careful screening, three studies met their criteria, together including information on nearly 5.3 million participants. This large dataset allowed researchers to identify patterns that smaller studies alone might not reveal.

The analysis found that pregestational diabetes—both Type 1 and Type 2—was significantly associated with an increased risk of epilepsy in offspring. In other words, children born to mothers with Type 1 diabetes had a higher likelihood of developing epilepsy than children born to mothers without diabetes.

This is an important distinction: the study identified an association or increased risk, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Many children born to mothers with diabetes will never develop epilepsy.

These findings add to growing evidence that maternal diabetes can influence child neurodevelopment. Understanding these risks helps healthcare providers identify which children may benefit from closer monitoring or early intervention if signs of seizure disorders appear.

For mothers with Type 1 diabetes who are planning pregnancy or are currently pregnant, this research underscores the importance of working closely with your healthcare team to optimize diabetes management. If you have questions about your specific situation, talk with your diabetes care team and obstetrician.

Source: Frontiers in endocrinology. 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.