Relationship between placental elastography, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain

Christopher Edwards; Erika Cavanagh; Sailesh Kumar; Vicki L Clifton; Danielle J Borg; Jacob Priddle; Wille Marie-Luise; Christopher Drovandi; Davide Fontanarosa

doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2022.02.015

Relationship between placental elastography, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain

Placenta. 2022 Apr:121:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.02.015. Epub 2022 Feb 25.

Authors

Christopher Edwards¹, Erika Cavanagh², Sailesh Kumar³, Vicki L Clifton⁴, Danielle J Borg⁴, Jacob Priddle⁵, Wille Marie-Luise⁶, Christopher Drovandi⁵, Davide Fontanarosa⁷

Affiliations

¹ School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Level 3 Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia. Electronic address: c8.edwards@qut.edu.au.
² School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Level 3 Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia.
³ School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Level 3 Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia. Electronic address: Sailesh.kumar@mater.uq.edu.au.
⁴ Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland, Level 3 Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia.
⁵ School of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Centre for Data Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁶ School of Mechanical, Medical, And Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; ARC Training Centre for Multiscale 3D Imaging, Modelling, And Manufacturing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia.
⁷ School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia; Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia.

PMID: 35245719
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.02.015

Abstract

Introduction: Maternal obesity is a significant risk factor for poor pregnancy outcomes. Obesity is linked to abnormalities in placental tissue at term. The purpose of this study was to correlate changes in placental stiffness, measured via ultrasound elastography, with maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain.

Methods: Body Mass Index and gestation weight gain data was collected from 238 women. Elastography measurements were obtained via ultrasound at 24-, 28- and 36-weeks' gestation. An analysis using a linear mixed regression model assessed for the statistical significance of pre-pregnancy BMI, pregnancy weight gain and placental SWV (Shear Wave Velocity).

Results: Pre-pregnancy weight status has a significant impact on placental tissue stiffness detectable via ultrasound elastography. Placental tissue stiffness was highest in obese women, followed by overweight women. Obese women, on average, had a MeanSWV 0.11 m/s (95% CI (0.061-0.15) m/s, p < 0.001) above the healthy group throughout the 3rd trimester. Weight gain during pregnancy had a small impact on placental stiffness at the end of pregnancy. MeanSWV was 0.06 m/s (95% CI (0.03-0.10) m/s, p < 0.001) higher in the excessive weight gain group.

Discussion: Structural changes of the placenta detected via ultrasound elastography techniques are not exclusive to placental dysfunction conditions (pre-eclampsia and growth restriction) but are also associated with maternal obesity.

Keywords: Maternal obesity; Placenta; SWE; Shear-wave elastography; Ultrasound.

MeSH terms

Body Mass Index
Elasticity Imaging Techniques* / methods
Female
Gestational Weight Gain*
Humans
Linear Models
Obesity / complications
Obesity / diagnostic imaging
Obesity, Maternal*
Placenta* / diagnostic imaging
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome*