Aim: To compare sonographic measurements of fetal fat tissue in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes (GD), with patients undergoing either a diet only or a combined diet and insulin treatment, to those obtained in pregnancies with a normal glucose challenge test.
Methods: Forty-five singleton pregnancies complicated by GD but free of any other maternal disease known to affect fetal growth were recruited. GD was diagnosed by a 3-hour OGTT, and treatment was differentiated according to the glycemic profile. GD mothers were divided into two treatment groups: glycemic profile normalized by diet only treatment (n=16) and by combined diet and insulin treatment (n=29). Fetal biometry and subcutaneous fat tissue thickness of the anterior abdominal wall were sonographically evaluated at the time of diagnosis and every 4 weeks afterwards in both GD and normal glucose challenge test group (n=25).
Results: No differences were found in neonatal outcomes between combined diet and insulin treatment group and normal cases, whereas neonatal weight showed a statistically significant difference between diet only treatment group and healthy population. Abdominal circumference in fetuses from GD mothers and normal fetuses was similar, but there was a difference in the fetal fat tissue thickness at the time of diagnosis.
Conclusion: Increased fetal fat tissue thickness in GD mothers at recruitment and its growth rate reduction during adequate treatment may be a new criterion for direct estimation of fetal metabolic status instead of the traditional indirect evaluation based on maternal glucose concentrations.