title: Does fetal macrosomia affect umbilical artery Doppler velocity waveforms in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to establish whether macrosomic fetuses in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes (GDM) show different Pulsatility Index (PI) values in umbilical artery (UA) than in non-macrosomic fetuses.
  
  
  METHODS
  We considered 106 pregnant women with GDM. Doppler recordings of UA-PI were performed at 34-41 weeks and related to neonatal birthweight. Pregnancies were divided in two groups according to birthweight, macrosomic group (>4000 g) and controls (<4000 g), and according to birthweight centile, >90th centile and <90th centile. Differences in UA-PI and maternal and fetal characteristics between groups were tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean UA-PI was significantly lower in newborns with birthweight >4000 g than in controls (PI = 0.69; 95% CI 0.64-0.74 versus PI = 0.87; 95% CI 0.84-0.90, p < 000.1). Mean UA-PI was significantly lower in newborns with birthweight centile >90th centile than in controls (PI = 0.79; 95% CI 0.74-0.84 versus PI = 0.87; 95% CI 0.83-0.90; t = 2.653; p = 0.01). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between UA-PI and neonatal birthweight and between UA-PI and neonatal birthweight centile.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Macrosomic fetuses of pregnancies complicated by GDM show lower values of UA-PI compared with controls. Despite UA-PI results, a variable related to macrosomia its role in the management of these pregnancies remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosciences , Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, Center for High Risk Pregnancies, University Federico II , Naples , Italy and.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sirico
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Università Roma Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosciences , Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, Center for High Risk Pregnancies, University Federico II , Naples , Italy and.
authors.forename: Giuseppe Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Maruotti
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Università Roma Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aiello
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosciences , Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, Center for High Risk Pregnancies, University Federico II , Naples , Italy and.
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morlando
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , Università Roma Tor Vergata , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arduini
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosciences , Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, Center for High Risk Pregnancies, University Federico II , Naples , Italy and.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martinelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Doppler; gestational diabetes; macrosomia; umbilical