Mothers with a history of gestational diabetes have a 50% higher risk of subsequent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, while the risk is more than doubled in their children, a meta-analysis has found.

Researchers from Singapore said their findings suggested the need for routine liver function and imaging assessment in postnatal care for mother–child pairs affected by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

The team reviewed 20 studies on the effect of GDM-complicated pregnancies on intergenerational liver outcomes among some 71 million women and 9800 offspring.

Compared with controls, mothers with a history of GDM had a 50% increased risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) over a follow-up period ranging from 16 months to 25 years.