Fetal lung development in pregnancies of diabetic women assessed by quantitative ultrasonic tissue characterization

Objectives This study was performed to compare quantitative ultrasonic tissue characterization of the fetal lung at different gestational ages in uncontrolled diabetic patients with that in normal uncomplicated pregnancies. Methods A total of 44 women at 24–37 weeks' gestation with the diagnosis of diabetes in pregnancy were enrolled. Data were compared to those of the control group, which consisted of 140 women with uncomplicated pregnancies of the same gestational age. Longitudinal and transverse sections of the fetal thorax and upper abdomen were examined. A region of interest of constant size was defined and the tissue-specific gray scale was determined by using interactive software. Results Compared with normal pregnancies, fetal lungs of diabetic pregnancies have a higher echogenicity between 28 and 37 weeks of gestation. The lung mean gray values (MGV) only differed significantly between 30 and 31 weeks of gestation in the group with diabetes (P = 0.033) compared to the control group. The MGV of the liver in diabetic and normal pregnancies is similar during pregnancy, significant differences being found only at 30–31 weeks of gestation (P = 0.038). The lung-to-liver ratio in the control group showed a significant increase from 24 to 31 weeks and a slight non-significant decrease after 31 weeks. The ratio in the group with diabetes increased slightly up to week 33 and decreased slightly afterwards. Conclusion Fetal lung MGV in uncontrolled diabetic pregnancies compared to that in uncomplicated pregnancies differs significantly only between 30 and 31 weeks of gestation. Copyright © 2005 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.