Heart disease is generally viewed as a condition that develops gradually due to factors such as poor diet, insufficient physical activity, stress, or aging.

However, a major study published in JAMA Cardiology is questioning this belief.

The latest research indicates that the risk of heart problems can be inherited not only through genes but also through a baby’s experiences inside the womb.

Babies born to mothers who had diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to develop heart disease later in life.

This risk increases even more if the mother had diabetes before becoming pregnant.

The Study: Size and Scope 

The research was helmed by Xingbo Mo, PhD, from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.

The team used large national records from Sweden to analyse over 4.2 million single births between January 1973 and December 2014.

The average age of the participants in the study was 27.4 years. The study was entirely long-term, covering almost four decades of national data, making it one of the most comprehensive of its kind.

What They Found 

The study clearly showed: 

• Maternal diabetes during pregnancy is associated with a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease and various types of heart-related conditions in children.

• The risk was significantly greater when the mother had diabetes before becoming pregnant compared to when diabetes developed during pregnancy.

• Some of this increased risk was linked to complications such as heart defects, early birth and being larger than normal for the gestational age.

Why the Womb Matters for Heart Health 

The findings have ramifications that go beyond just pregnancy care.

More specifically, how a mother handles her diabetes during pregnancy could mean the difference between whether the child’s heart will be afflicted or not during their later years.

In short, how a mother’s blood sugar is controlled during pregnancy can greatly influence her child's future heart health.

The Bigger Picture 

The number of young people with heart disease has been increasing in recent years, unlike the reduction observed in older adults.

This makes it more important than ever to identify cardiovascular risk factors that emerge in an individual’s early life.

Significantly, this study doesn’t just provide new information. It shifts the attention of cardiovascular prevention, as not something having to do with doctor visits, but more to do with prenatal care, long before the emergence of any kind of symptoms.