Objectives: Our purpose was to investigate whether liver size is increased in the fetuses of pregnant women with diabetes and whether there is any relationship between fetal liver size and maternal glycemic control.
Study design: Eighty pregnant women with diabetes had ultrasonographic measurement of fetal liver length made at 18, 28, and 36 weeks' gestation. Twenty-four obese, nondiabetic women were studied at 36 weeks as controls.
Results: Fetal liver length measurements were significantly greater than normal by 18 weeks' gestation (12% above normal mean values; p < 0.001) and increased further (19%, p < 0.02) by 36 weeks. In the obese controls liver length was increased 9% and was significantly lower than in the diabetic subjects (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Fetal liver size in increased in pregnant women with diabetes and cannot be explained solely by maternal obesity. The major increase in liver size occurs early in pregnancy but appears to be modifiable by glycemic control later in gestation.