Detection of gestational diabetes by means of ultrasonic diagnosis of excessive fetal growth

Abstract

Excessive abdominal transverse fetal diameter is demonstrated to be a sensitive screening factor in the selection of gestational diabetic patients. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed in 92 pregnant women with potential gestational diabetes criteria and in 21 women without potential diabetic characteristics but with an abdominal transverse fetal diameter above the ninety-fifth percentile. Thirty-eight percent of the women in the latter group had an abnormal oral glucose tolerance test. Moreover, most infants born to gestational diabetic women had an excessive abdominal transverse diameter although the biparietal diameter and birth weight remained fairly normal.