< Back to Previous Page Pre-Pregnancy Diabetes Linked to Birth Defects According to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), birth defects cause nearly one in five infant deaths and are present in one out of every 33 babies born in United States.  Pregnant women that suffer from pre-pregnancy diabetes are three to four times more likely to give birth to child with birth defects than non-diabetic women.  The risk factors are the same for birth defects linked to type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Infants born to women with pre-pregnancy diabetes are more likely to suffer from: Heart defects Defects of the kidneys   Spine deformities Defects of the brain Oral clefts Gastrointestinal tract deficiencies Limb deficiencies The CDC study found almost 40 types of birth defects more likely in children born to women that suffer from pre-pregnancy diabetes as opposed to infants born to non-diabetic women. The study is the first to prove the wide range and severity of birth defects linked to type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  The study proves what doctors have suggested for years, that pre-pregnancy diabetes is a major factor in birth defects.   Pre-pregnancy diabetes is more likely in women who suffer from pre-pregnancy obesity.  Pre-pregnancy obesity has always been suspected to be a major risk factor in the development of diabetes and in diabetes related birth defects. Preconception care should be a major concern for women with pre-pregnancy obesity if the women are sexually active to prevent birth defects and reduce the risk for health complications to both the mother and the infant.