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Updated: Apr 12, 2026

The 4-vessel Sampling Approach to Integrative Studies of Human Placental Physiology In Vivo
Published on: August 2, 2017
Placental volume relative to fetal weight estimated by sonography in diabetic pregnancies
Andrea Surányi1, Zoltán Kozinszky2, András Molnár1
1a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Szeged , Szeged , Hungary and.
Objective:
Our purpose was to analyze the fetal weight and placental volume (PV) ratio in diabetic pregnancies during mid-pregnancy.
Method:
One hundred and forty nine diabetic pregnancies [75 gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 74 diabetes mellitus type I (T1DM) with good glycemic control] and 232 healthy patients were analyzed by three-dimensional sonographic volumetry of the placenta, while fetal weight was estimated by two-dimensional technique.
Results:
The gestational age-specific estimated fetal weight (EFW) [EFWGDM: 1840.8 ± 932.82 g; EFWT1DM: 1475.6 ± 914.7 g (mean ± standard deviation) and placental ratio (PR)] was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in pregnancies complicated by GDM and T1DM (PRGDM: 5.5 ± 1.67 g/cm(3), PRT1DM: 4.56 ± 3.2 g/cm(3)) compared to control group (Q) (EFWQ: 532 ± 186.49 g; PRQ: 2.2 ± 0.8 g/cm(3)), whereas PV was significantly higher (p < 0.05) only in GDM (PVGDM: 334.3 ± 111.5 cm(3)) compared to control data (PVQ: 232 ± 78.9 cm(3)). In contrast to GDM, T1DM with good glycemic control did not predispose to any changes in placental sonographic volumetric differences compared to control values.
Conclusions:
Fetal weight related to the PV is already elevated in second trimester in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus and type I diabetes mellitus compared to normal pregnancies.
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