Relationship between placental elastography, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain

Introduction: Maternal obesity is a significant risk factor for poor pregnancy outcomes. Obesity is linked to abnormalities in placental tissue at term. The purpose of this study was to correlate changes in placental stiffness, measured via ultrasound elastography, with maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain. Methods: Body Mass Index and gestation weight gain data was collected from 238 women. Elastography measurements were obtained via ultrasound at 24-, 28- and 36-weeks’ gestation. An analysis using a linear mixed regression model assessed for the statistical significance of pre-pregnancy BMI, pregnancy weight gain and placental SWV (Shear Wave Velocity). Results: Pre-pregnancy weight status has a significant impact on placental tissue stiffness detectable via ultrasound elastography. Placental tissue stiffness was highest in obese women, followed by overweight women. Obese women, on average, had a MeanSWV 0.11 m/s (95% CI (0.061–0.15) m/s, p < 0.001) above the healthy group throughout the 3rd trimester. Weight gain during pregnancy had a small impact on placental stiffness at the end of pregnancy. MeanSWV was 0.06 m/s (95% CI (0.03–0.10) m/s, p < 0.001) higher in the excessive weight gain group. Discussion: Structural changes of the placenta detected via ultrasound elastography techniques are not exclusive to placental dysfunction conditions (pre-eclampsia and growth restriction) but are also associated with maternal obesity.