Maternal Blood-Based Protein Biomarkers in Relation to Abdominal Fat Distribution Measured by Ultrasound in Early Mid-Pregnancy

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the associations of early mid-pregnancy ultrasound measured visceral and subcutaneous fat depths with blood-based protein biomarkers. This was a cross-sectional study including 201 pregnant women at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. The mean age of the women was 31.0 years, and 57.7% were nulliparous. Maternal visceral and subcutaneous fat depths were measured by ultrasound at the early second-trimester anomaly scan. A non-fasting blood sample was collected in conjunction with the second-trimester anomaly scan, and the Olink cardiovascular II panel was used to measure 92 blood-based protein biomarkers in the sample. Cross-sectional associations of visceral and subcutaneous fat depths with blood-based protein biomarkers were examined using Mann–Whitney U tests with false discovery rate adjustments. In addition, linear regression analyses adjusting for maternal age, parity, and early pregnancy body mass index were performed. The results showed differences in one biomarker between women with elevated (≥ 52 mm) versus normal (< 52 mm) visceral fat depth, and in three biomarkers between women with elevated (≥ 22 mm) versus normal (< 22 mm) subcutaneous fat depth. Hence, levels of blood-based protein biomarkers differ between pregnant women with dissimilar body fat distributions, which might reflect disparities in biological pathways.