Use of ultrasound in antenatal diagnosis of large-for-gestational age infants in diabetic gravid patients.
Near-term ultrasonograms of 44 diabetic gravid patients and 47 nondiabetic gravid patients were retrospectively analyzed. The mean values of abdominal diameter to femur length ratios and abdominal diameter to biparietal diameter ratios in diabetic gravid patients with large-for-gestational age fetuses were significantly different from those values in diabetic patients with appropriate-for-gestational age fetuses and in nondiabetic patients. Glycosylated hemoglobin values were above 7.4% (mean +/- 2 SD) in 79% of diabetic patients with large-for-gestational age infants and abdominal diameter to femur length ratio exceeding 1.385. Glycosylated hemoglobin values were less than or equal to 7.4% in 69% of diabetic gravid patients with appropriate-for-gestational age fetuses and abdominal diameter to femur length ratio less than 1.385. These findings suggest that large-for-gestational age infants have a different growth characteristic with a disproportionate enlargement of the abdomen. This possibly results from a long period of elevated levels of maternal plasma glucose (as shown by elevated values of glycosylated hemoglobin).
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin