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Placental structural abnormalities in gestational diabetes and when they develop: A scoping review.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Ehlers, E; Talton, OO; Schust, DJ; Schulz, LC
Published in: Placenta
December 2021

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as diabetes with onset or first recognition during gestation. It is a common complication of pregnancy that has become more prevalent over the past few decades. Abnormalities in fetal growth, including increased incidence of both large and small for gestational age babies, suggest placental dysfunction. The major goal of this scoping review is to determine what is known about abnormalities in placentas delivered from GDM pregnancies, and how early in gestation these abnormalities arise. A secondary goal is to review to what extent other selected factors, in particular obesity, have been found to influence or modify the reported effects of GDM on placental development, and whether these are considered in the study of GDM placentas. PubMed and Scopus databases were searched using the key terms: "gestational diabetes AND (woman OR human) AND placenta AND (ultrasound OR ultrastructure OR imaging OR histology OR pathology). Studies of gross morphology and histoarchitecture in placentas delivered from GDM pregnancies consistently report increased placental size, villous immaturity and a range of vascular lesions when compared to uncomplicated pregnancies. In contrast, a small number of ultrasound studies have examined placental development in GDM pregnancies in the second, and especially, the first trimester. Relatively few studies have analyzed interactions with maternal BMI, but these do suggest that it may play a role in placental abnormalities. Further examination of placental development early in pregnancy is needed to understand when it becomes disrupted in GDM, as a first step to identifying the underlying causes.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Placenta

DOI

EISSN

1532-3102

Publication Date

December 2021

Volume

116

Start / End Page

58 / 66

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal
  • Pregnancy
  • Placenta
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Diabetes, Gestational
  • 4204 Midwifery
  • 3215 Reproductive medicine
  • 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
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Ehlers, E., Talton, O. O., Schust, D. J., & Schulz, L. C. (2021). Placental structural abnormalities in gestational diabetes and when they develop: A scoping review. Placenta, 116, 58–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.placenta.2021.04.005
Ehlers, Erin, Omonseigho O. Talton, Danny J. Schust, and Laura C. Schulz. “Placental structural abnormalities in gestational diabetes and when they develop: A scoping review.Placenta 116 (December 2021): 58–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.placenta.2021.04.005.
Ehlers E, Talton OO, Schust DJ, Schulz LC. Placental structural abnormalities in gestational diabetes and when they develop: A scoping review. Placenta. 2021 Dec;116:58–66.
Ehlers, Erin, et al. “Placental structural abnormalities in gestational diabetes and when they develop: A scoping review.Placenta, vol. 116, Dec. 2021, pp. 58–66. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2021.04.005.
Ehlers E, Talton OO, Schust DJ, Schulz LC. Placental structural abnormalities in gestational diabetes and when they develop: A scoping review. Placenta. 2021 Dec;116:58–66.
Journal cover image

Published In

Placenta

DOI

EISSN

1532-3102

Publication Date

December 2021

Volume

116

Start / End Page

58 / 66

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal
  • Pregnancy
  • Placenta
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Diabetes, Gestational
  • 4204 Midwifery
  • 3215 Reproductive medicine
  • 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology