Children born to mothers with type 1 diabetes are less likely to develop type one diabetes than people who have an affected father, brother or sister. Researchers did an epigenome-wide study on over 1,000 children and compared it with 790 children found with type one diabetes. They found differential DNA methylation at many sites.
Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation determine which genes are read and expressed. By changing DNA methylation patterns and environmental influences in the womb have huge effects on an infant's health. The biggest environmental factors that affected the baby in the womb was the mother's diet, if she smoked, stress levels and medical conditions. These changes suggest that what the fetus is exposed to when the mother has type one diabetes may reprogram the child's immune system in a way that lowers the risk of autoimmunity. This helps influence how a Childs long term disease risk can be affected by other factors than genetics.
Sources:
Helmholtz Munich. (2025, November 6). Maternal type 1 diabetes may protect children through epigenetic changes. Helmholtz Munich. https://www.helmholtz-munich.de/en/newsroom/news-all/artikel/maternal-type-1-diabetes-may-protect-children-through-epigenetic-changes
Maternal type 1 diabetes might protect offspring through epigenetic modifications. (2025). Nature Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-025-01406-7
This is a really fascinating study! I didn’t realize that maternal type 1 diabetes could actually lower a child’s risk through epigenetic changes. The idea that DNA methylation patterns in the womb can reshape how the immune system develops is incredibly powerful. It really shows how much a mother’s environment, stress, and health conditions can influence long-term disease risk beyond genetics.
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