Longitudinal variance of fat mass deposition during pregnancy evaluated by ultrasonography: the ratio of visceral fat to subcutaneous fat in the abdomen.
BACKGROUND
Defining regional fat distribution is of importance because of regional variation in adipocyte metabolism. In order to investigate whether maternal body fat distribution changes during pregnancy we measured the abdominal maternal fat thickness.


METHODS
A longitudinal study of the thickness of the preperitoneal fat layer (P) and subcutaneous fat layer (S) in the abdomen was conducted; ultrasonography was used to obtain the measurements and the P/S ratio was calculated during each trimester as well as postpartum.


RESULTS
When compared with the first and second trimesters, a significant increase in both the P and P/S ratios was observed in the third trimester; thus, regional fat distribution changes during pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Intra-abdominal visceral fat accumulation increases during pregnancy.
Kinoshita
Toshihiko
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sakura Hospital, School of Medicine, Toho University, Chiba, Japan. kino@sakura.med.toho-u.ac.jp
Itoh
Motohiro
M
D000328:Adult; D001824:Body Constitution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D050507:Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography