Abdominal adiposity is a predictive marker of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) appearing later in pregnancy, says a prospective cohort study published in Diabetes Care.

The cohort included 485 women. They were assessed for subcutaneous (SAT), visceral (VAT) and total (TAT) adipose tissue depth with ultrasounf between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation. The pregnant women were all between the ages of 18 and 42 years old for the study. The composite endpoint was impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and full GDM. Glycemic control was assessed with a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation. Logical regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between varying levels of adiposity and the composite outcome.

After adjusting for confounders such as age, ethnicity, BMI, and family history, quartile 4 VAT and TAT vs. quartile 1 VAT and TAT (quartile 4 being more adiposity) were both significantly associated with gestational diabetes (adjusted odds ratio 3.2, 95% CI 1.1-9.9). This association was not true, however, for SAT (adjusted odds ratio 1.8, 95% CI 0.70-4.8). These correlations were also true for the endpoint of gestational diabetes mellitus alone.

The Researchers concluded that elevated first-trimester VAT and TAT depth independently predicted the risk of dysglycemia later in pregnancy.

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