Maia Brik

Maia Brik

Maia Brik
Position

Specialist in obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine at the Obstetrics Department of the Vall d'Hebron Hospital.

Maternal diabetes is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, according to a review

A review of 202 studies involving more than 56 million mother-child pairs has observed an association between maternal diabetes — including pre-pregnancy and gestational diabetes — and an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children, such as autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or intellectual disability. The authors, who publish the results in the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, call for a cautious interpretation of the association, as there is currently little evidence of a causal relationship.

Maternal stress and foetal brain development: pandemic confinement as a laboratory

During confinement, pregnant women suffered more stress than usual among pregnant women, according to a study conducted at Vall d'Hebron Hospital. A new result along the same lines also finds effects on the brain development of the foetus. But the period of neurodevelopment spans childhood and adolescence, so there are many opportunities to favourably influence this process.