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. 2021 Aug 4;18(2):382-387.
doi: 10.5114/aoms/140578. eCollection 2022.

Sonographic measurement of the fetal pancreas in women with gestational diabetes

Yinon Gilboa  1   2 , Michał Krekora  3 , Sharon Perlman  1   2 , Ron Bardin  1   2 , Eran Kassif  2   4 , Reuven Achiron  2   4 , Katarzyna Zych-Krekora  5 , Piotr Kaczmarek  5 , Mariusz Grzesiak  5 , Zvi Kivilevitch  6
Affiliations

Sonographic measurement of the fetal pancreas in women with gestational diabetes

Yinon Gilboa et al. Arch Med Sci. .

Abstract

Introduction: Maternal glycemic state is positively correlated with fetal insulin secretion. Randomized control studies have shown that treatment during pregnancy inhibits to some degree this glycemic effect. Our study aimed to assess fetal pancreas size in a population of treated mothers with gestational diabetes.

Material and methods: A cross-sectional, prospective observational study was conducted. Pregnant women at 19-36 weeks of gestation with pre-gestational diabetes receiving insulin therapy or with gestational diabetes receiving either insulin or oral hypoglycemic therapy were recruited. The fetal pancreas circumference was measured and compared to the normal reference range. The Z score of the difference between measured and normal predicted mean pancreas circumference, the regression analysis throughout pregnancy, and the correlation between estimated fetal weight centile and pancreas circumference were calculated.

Results: Ninety-one women who had gestational diabetes and thirty-four women who had pre-gestational diabetes were included in the study. For both groups, fetal pancreas circumference correlated significantly with abdominal circumference, estimated fetal weight and gestational age. The mean Z score between the predicted pancreas circumference in the group of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes and the predicted pancreas circumference in a normal population peaked at around 24 weeks of gestation (1.1) and decreased gradually afterward to a value of zero at 37 weeks. The mean Z score between the predicted pancreas circumference in the group of women with pre-gestational diabetes and the predicted pancreas circumference in a normal population constantly decreased with duration of pregnancy. It was positive until the 25th week of gestation and then presented negative values towards the term.

Conclusions: The presented preliminary data suggest a possible correlation between glycemic control treatment, pancreas size, and gestational age.

Keywords: fetal diagnosis; fetal pancreas; fetal ultrasound; gestational diabetes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Fetal pancreas imaging: The best angle of imaging of the fetal pancreas is rather narrow. It consists of a transverse, antero-posterior abdominal section, at the level between the stomach and the spine-aorta-IVC complex
Figure 2
Figure 2
Fetal pancreas circumference of gestational diabetic mothers (92 cases): raw data are plotted on the normal predicted 5th–50th–95th centiles reference range throughout pregnancy. Polynomial cubic regression r2 = 0.682, p < 0.001
Figure 3
Figure 3
Fetal pancreas circumference of mothers with gestational diabetes: mean predicted values (black triangles), for a given week of gestation, plotted on the normal predicted PC 5th–50th–95th centiles
Figure 4
Figure 4
Fetal pancreas circumference of gestational diabetic mothers: the Z score difference between the predicted mean fetal pancreas circumference (PC), for a given week of gestation, and the respective predicted values in non-diabetic mothers, throughout pregnancy
Figure 5
Figure 5
Fetal pancreas circumference of pre-gestational diabetic mothers (35 cases): raw data plotted on the normal predicted 5th–50th–95th centiles reference range throughout pregnancy. Polynomial regression r2 = 0.508, p < 0.001
Figure 6
Figure 6
Fetal pancreas circumference of pre-gestational diabetic mothers: mean predicted values (black triangles), for a given week of gestation, plotted on the normal predicted 5th–50th–95th centiles
Figure 7
Figure 7
Fetal pancreas circumference of pre-gestational diabetic mothers: the Z score difference between the predicted mean fetal pancreas circumference (PC), for a given week of gestation, and the respective predicted values in non-diabetic mothers, during pregnancy
Figure 8
Figure 8
Image of the mildly hyperechogenic pancreas measured above 95th percentile for gestational age at 21 weeks in a patient diagnosed 4 weeks later with GDM
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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