A study has found a direct relationship between a pregnant woman's level of blood sugar and the risk to her newborn. Researchers at Northwestern University have found that regardless of whether the mother has diabetes, higher blood sugar levels are associated with greater risk to babies.

The study findings, which were released Friday, reported that there are chances of more women being diagnosed with diabetes during pregnancy and given stricter diet advice or medication to lower blood sugar.

Researchers tracked health records of more than 23,000 pregnant women in nine countries and found that a there is strong link between the blood sugar levels of the women and the rate of big babies and first-time Caesarean sections.

The presence of more blood sugar in the mother also causes newborns to have low blood sugar levels and high insulin levels thus leading to complications in later life including obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

AP reports that currently, the goal for a pregnant woman's fasting blood sugar is below 95 milligrams per deciliter during the final few months of pregnancy and researchers are now saying that new target of 90 may be more reasonable.

Researchers reported the findings Friday at the American Diabetes Association's annual scientific meeting.