Evaluation of the relationship between the 3RD trimester fetal thymus thoracic ratio and perinatal results in diabetic pregnancies

OBJECTIVE: In our study, we aimed to compare the third trimester fetal thymic-thoracic ratios (TTR) between the gestational diabetic and healthy pregnant women and to assess its relation with perinatal outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective case-control study has been conducted by observing the pregnant women who received treatment in Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital Perinatology Department over the course of between 1 November 2018 and 1 December 2019. The perinatal results and the third trimester fetal thymic-thoracic ratios have been compared between pregnant women who only have gestational diabetics, and pregnant women who do not have any further maternal diseases. FINDINGS: The statistical analyses have been conducted by using SPSS version 17.0 packaged software. 95 gestational diabetic cases have been included in the study group while 96 individuals have been counted in the control group. Between the study and control groups, no statistically significant difference can be found on determinant factors of prenatal age, fetal size, length, weight and body-mass index (BMI). When both groups are compared on our study's primary outcome - fetal thymic-thoracic ratio (TTR), TTR values in the control group have been found significantly high (0.432±0.015 vs. 0.324±0.031; p<0,001). Although some fetal parameters such as neonatal jaundice and the need for neonatal intensive care unit have been observed as disrupted in the study group, no correlation has been found between this disruption and thymic-thoracic ratios. CONCLUSIONS: The thymic-thoracic ratios in gestational diabetic pregnant women (study group) have been found significantly lower than the control group's (p<0.001). Previous studies have also indicated the thymic-thoracic ratio as a parameter for screening the diabetic pregnant women and our study's findings support this previous data. Further studies are required to reveal the relationship between fetal thymic-thoracic ratios in expecting women with diabetes and perinatal parameters.