The Impact of Maternal Diabetes Mellitus on Fetal Corpus Callosum Morphology: A Case–Control Study

Objective

To investigate the morphology of the corpus callosum (CC) in fetuses of pregnant women with diabetes.

Materials and Methods

This prospective study was conducted between February 2024 and August 2024 at a tertiary hospital and included a total of 81 pregnant women, divided into three groups: 27 with gestational diabetes (GDM), 27 with pregestational diabetes (PGDM), and 27 controls. For each patient, CC and cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) measurements, tela-choroidea-to-anterior-cerebral-artery distance (TACAD), and Doppler parameters of the anterior cerebral artery were examined.

Results

The mean CC length significantly differed among the three groups (p = 0.00). Post hoc Tukey analysis showed a significant difference between the control group and the PGDM group (p = 0.001), as well as between the control group and the GDM group (p = 0.002). No significant differences were found among the three groups in terms of CC width, TACAD, anterior cerebral artery Doppler parameters, or CSP width and length (p > 0.05). The CC/head circumference ratio was significantly different among the three groups (p = 0.000).

Conclusion

We found that fetal CC morphology was affected in pregnancies presenting with GDM and PGDM, likely due to increased transplacental transfer of nutrients caused by maternal hyperglycemia, which accelerates fetal growth.