Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common condition, often associated with high maternal and fetal morbidity. The use of new tools for early GDM screening can contribute to metabolic control to reduce maternal and fetal risk. This study aimed to ascertain whether maternal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) measurement by ultrasound during the first half of pregnancy can predict the occurrence of GDM during the third trimester. Methods A prospective cohort study of 133 pregnant women with gestational age �20 weeks in an outpatient setting. VAT depth was measured by ultrasound at the maternal periumbilical region. GDM status was obtained through hospital charts during hospitalization to delivery. A Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the optimum threshold to predict GDM. Results According to the ROC curve, a 45mm threshold was identified as the best cutoff value, with 66% of accuracy to predict GDM. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) for GDM were 13.4 (95%CI 2.9-61.1) and 8.9 (95%CI 1.9-42.2), respectively. A similar result was obtained among pre-gravid non-obese women, with crude and adjusted OR of 16.6 (95%CI 1.9-PLOS ONE

The transcultural adaptation and validation of the confidence maternal questionnaire into Brazilian Portuguese language and culture showed good reliability for this sample. The results of its use demonstrated that maternal confidence was associated with schooling, age and parity.

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Background: Determining anthropometric measures that indicate different fat deposits can be useful to predict metabolic risk and set specific treatment goals, reducing negative consequences for maternal and fetal health. In cases where pre-gestational weight measure and subsequent body mass index (BMI) values cannot be determined, other anthropometric measurements may be ideal for measuring the nutritional status of pregnant women, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study aims to identify which anthropometric measurements correlate better with the maternal fat deposits measured by ultrasound. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with pregnant women from the city of Porto Alegre (city), capital of Rio Grande do Sul (state), southern Brazil, from October 2016 until January 2018. Anthropometrical variables (weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference [MUAC], circumferences of calf and neck and triceps skinfolds [TSF] and subscapular skinfolds [SBSF]), and ultrasound variables (visceral adipose tissue [VAT] and total adipose tissue [TAT]) were collected. To verify the correlation of anthropometric and ultrasound measurements, a non-adjusted and adjusted Spearman correlation was used. The study was approved by the ethics committees.Results: The age median of the 149 pregnant women was 25 years [21 - 31], pre-pregnancy BMI was 26.22kg/m² [22.16 – 31.21] and gestational age was 16.2 weeks [13.05 – 18.10]. The best measurements correlated with VAT and TAT were MUAC and SBSF, both of which showed a higher correlation than pre-pregnancy BMI.Conclusion: It is possible to provide a practical and reliable estimate of VAT and TAT from the anthropometric evaluation (MUAC or SBSF) that is low cost, efficient and replicable in an outpatient clinic environment, especially in low- and middle-income countries.