Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
DIABETIC women should be screened for heart defects because of higher risks to their babies.
They should also take higher than usual doses of folic acid, researchers said in a study in the British Medical Journal.
The report found the risk of death and major birth defects are still high in babies born to women with diabetes.
The authors warned these problems will get worse as the number of young women diagnosed with type one and type two diabetes rises.
They want women to boost their intake of folic acid from before conception up to week 12 of pregnancy.
Researchers analysed deaths shortly after birth and congenital anomalies in babies born to women with type one or type two diabetes.
(C) 2006 Birmingham Mail. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
