First Trimester Placental Volume and Uterine Artery Doppler in Pregestational Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Pregnant Women

Background: Pregestational diabetes is diabetes diagnosed before pregnancy comprises approximately 13 % of all diabetes in pregnancy, while gestational diabetes i.e. diabetes with onset or first recognition in pregnancy comprises the remaining 87%. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of pregestational diabetes mellitus on placental volume and uterine artery Doppler during the late first trimester of pregnancy compared to non-diabetic pregnant women during the same period of gestation.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 100 pregnant females from 11 weeks to thirteen 13 weeks gestation. Patients were divided into 2 equal groups: group A included pregnant women with pregestational diabetes mellitus and group B: included non-diabetic pregnant women as a control group. All cases were subjected to clinical examination, laboratory investigations (fasting blood sugar, 2Hrs post-prandial blood sugar, HbA1c and creatinine clearance test) and specific investigations (Mindray DC30 ultrasound and Transabdominal examination).

Results: HbA1c was a positive significant correlation with PI, RI, creatinine clearance and fasting blood sugar, there was a positive significant correlation between fasting blood sugar and PI and RI, there was a positive significant correlation between RI and PI (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Pre-gestational DM does not induce demonstrable alterations in first trimester placental volume, while it induces demonstrable alterations in the first trimester placental development as regards to uterine artery velocimetry Especially PI and RI are significantly increased.