The babies of women who had diabetes during pregnancy -- be it gestational or type 1 or type 2 -- may have less of an ability to form early memories than children of non-diabetic women, say scientists from the University of California Davis. This could be due to the effect that fluctuating glucose levels have on iron levels in mothers, therefore also leading to an iron deficiency in the fetus -- which can reduce the blood's capacity to carry oxygen.

When oxygen and iron deficiencies occur prenatally, the development of memory may be altered. This belief is supported by studies held by the researchers from UC Davis, wherein it was shown that babies of diabetic mothers could recall two fewer objects (out of a series of nine objects in three levels of difficulty) than those babies of non-diabetic mothers. This applied for the older group of babies, as well as with infants of 12 months.

The study was presented in San Fransisco at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.