What does this research mean for the field?

Diabetes mellitus in pregnancy causes significant ultrasonographic and histo-morphological placental changes that correlate with each other and are associated with increased adverse obstetric outcomes. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to assess the placental changes in diabetic versus non-diabetic pregnant women and their obstetric outcomes.

May 20, 2026Open Access

Placental changes and obstetric outcomes among women with diabetes mellitus in pregnancy in Kano, Nigeria: a case control study

Key Points

This study aims to assess the placental changes in diabetic versus non-diabetic pregnant women and their obstetric outcomes.
Case-control study of 65 diabetic and 65 non-diabetic pregnant women from 34 to 40 weeks' gestation
Ultrasound scanning performed within 7 days before delivery and histo-morphological placental examination post-delivery
Comparative analysis of obstetric outcomes and placental characteristics between both groups.
Diabetics had significantly higher ultrasonographic placental weight (610.0g vs 513.2g, p<0.001) and volume (1001.5cm³ vs 721.7cm³, p<0.001)
Increased incidence of adverse outcomes in diabetics, including higher rates of caesarean deliveries and fetal macrosomia
Significant relationships between ultrasound metrics and actual histo-morphological assessment were found, highlighting the relevance of sonographic examination.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus may induce recognizable changes in the placenta and may lead to adverse obstetric outcomes. Placental examination may identify these changes. AIM: To compare ultrasonographic and histo-morphological changes in the placentae of diabetic with normo-glycaemic women, as well as determine and compare the obstetric outcomes of the women. METHODS: This was a case-control study of 65 pregnant diabetic women matched with 65 non-diabetic pregnant women from 34 weeks to 40 weeks' gestation. All the participants had ultrasound scanning (USS) for placenta changes done within the last seven days of delivery and histo-morphological placental examination postpartum. Obstetric outcomes and relationship between ultrasonographic and histo-morpholgical changes were also determined. RESULTS: The diabetics compared to non-diabetic had significantly higher mean ultrasonographic placental weight (610.0 ± 81.54 versus 513.2 ± 74.25, p < 0.001), volume (1001.5 ± 359.80 versus 721.7 ± 186.16, p < 0.001), diameter (14.6 ± 2.20 versus 13.7 ± 2.08, p = 0.015), central thickness (4.8 ± 1.18 versus 4.2 ± 1.34, p = 0.015), umbilical cord coiling index (0.6 ± 0.23 versus 0.3 ± 0.13, p < 0.001), vascularisation index (0.6 ± 0.09 versus 0.5 ± 0.08, p < 0.001), flow index (1.0 ± 0.30 versus 0.8 ± 0.20, p < 0.001) and vascularisation-flow (2.6 ± 0.61 versus 2.1 ± 0.38, p < 0.001) index. Histomorphology showed diabetics had significantly higher placental weight (764.9 ± 159.26 versus 570.0 ± 92.73, p < 0.001), volume (737.7 ± 179.85 versus 536.9 ± 83.00, p < 0.001), diameter (19.6 ± 1.75 versus 18.3 ± 2.05, p < 0.001), central thickness (2.9 ± 0.65 versus 2.4 ± 0.58, p < 0.001), villous immaturity, villous edema, chorangiosis, fibrinoid necrosis and stromal fibrosis. The diabetics were also significantly more associated with caesarean deliveries, fetal macrosomia, still births, poor first minute Apgar score, hypoglycaemia at birth, respiratory distress syndrome and SCBU admissions compared to non-diabetics. In both diabetics and non-diabetics, there was a significant relationship between the placental weight (P = 0.002), volume (P = < 0.001), diameter (P = 0.02) and calcifications (P = < 0.001) compared with the actual histomorphological assessment. CONCLUSION: Placental changes and adverse obstetric outcomes occurred more significantly in the diabetic group. Some of the histo-morphological and ultrasonographic changes were relatable. Sonographic placental examination can, therefore, be useful in the management of diabetes in pregnancy.

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Cite This Study

Omeje et al. (Mon,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a0d4ec0f03e14405aa99e5c https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-026-09267-y

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