Impact of obesity when associated with gestational diabetes on fetus heart

Obesity increases the metabolic effect of diabetes, which has a teratogenic impact on the fetus, including the heart. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of obesity, when associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), on fetus’s heart systolic function using conventional fetal echocardiography and speckle-tracking technique.

This was a prospective mono-centric study. Standard fetal echocardiography and speckle-tracking technique were performed in 43 fetuses of mothers with GDM. Two groups were later compared: fetuses of non-obese women with GDM(G1)(n=25) and those of obese women with GDM(G2)(n=18).

There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding mitral and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion MAPSE(p=0,757) and TAPSE(p=0,554) or left ventricular ejection fraction(p=0,138). On the other hand, fetuses of women with GDM had a lower left ventricle global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) (p=0,014; G1:-20,03 ± 0,94%, G2: -19,42 ± 1,08% )

Our study suggests that the association of obesity and GDM may increase fetus’s systolic function impairment demonstrated by using speckle-tracking technique.