Evaluation of ultrasound measurements of abdominal fat for the prediction of gestational diabetes in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate whether ultrasound abdominal fat measurements in the first and second trimesters can predict adverse gestational outcomes, particularly gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and identify early patients at higher risk for complications.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of 126 pregnant women at 11–14 and 20–24 weeks of gestation with normal fasting glucose levels during early pregnancy. From 126 participants with complete data, 13.5% were diagnosed with GDM, based on the cutoffs established for the peripherical blood glucose. Subcutaneous, visceral, and maximum preperitoneal abdominal fat were measured using ultrasound techniques. GDM status was determined by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with 75 g glucose overload, and the following values were considered abnormal: fasting glucose ≥92 mg/dl and/or 1 h after overload ≥180 mg/dl and/or 2 h after overload ≥153 mg/dl. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimal threshold to predict GDM.

Results

Maximum preperitoneal fat measurement was predictive of GDM, and subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat measurements did not show significant differences in the prediction of GDM. According to the ROC curve, a threshold of 45.25 mm of preperitoneal fat was identified as the optimal cutoff point, with 87% sensitivity and 41% specificity to predict GDM. The raw and adjusted odds ratios for age and pre-pregnancy body mass index were 0.730 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.561–0.900) and 0.777 (95% CI, 0.623–0.931), respectively.

Conclusion

The use of a 45.25 mm threshold for maximum preperitoneal fat, measured by ultrasound to predict the risk of GDM, appears to be a feasible, inexpensive, and practical alternative to incorporate into clinical practice during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Keywords:

• Gestational diabetes mellitus
• intraabdominal fat
• ultrasonography
• first trimester of pregnancy
• second trimester of pregnancy

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (FUNCAP) for its financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.