Study objective was to test the relationship between maternal body mass index (BMI) and fetal abdominal subcutaneous fat tissue (ASCT) measured by ultrasound. The total number of pregnant women enrolled in the prospective study was 280. For all participants BMI was determined. Study participants underwent ultrasound exam at 32nd week of gestation and ASCT was measured. Positive correlation has been found between ASCT and maternal BMI (p<0.01, r=0.1612). The study showed that intrauterine growth and development is partially regulated by the maternal BMI.

The 50-gram non-fasting one hour Glucose Challenge Test (GCT) is today the one most widely implemented as a screening test for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). Positive result of GCT creates a preliminary GDM diagnosis. Diagnosis of GDM labels a pregnancy high risk. Any highrisk pregnancy can cause maternal anxiety. The aim of the study was to investigate pretest and posttest anxiety levels in pregnant women undergoing GCT. Anxiety levels were evaluated by Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAMA score). Pretest HAMA score was 7.1±3.34 in the women with preliminary GDM diagnosis, and 6.69±5.51 in the women with negative GCT results. After delivering GCT results, HAMA score was 8.64 ± 8.10 in the women with preliminary GDM diagnosis and 4.29±2.29 in the women without preliminary GDM diagnosis. Pretest levels of anxiety among all pregnant women undergoing GCT were increased. However, this was temporary in women with negative GCT, whose anxiety levels decreased after delivering GCT results. Among women preliminary diagnosed with GDM, posttest HAMA evaluation revealed sustained increased levels of anxiety. Concerns regarding the anxiety caused by screening for GDM were confirmed by the results of our study

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease is crucial to optimal obstetric and neonatal care. In utero identification of heart anomalies allows a variety of treatment options to be considered, including delivery at an appropriate facility, termination of pregnancy, and in some cases in utero therapy. Specific indications and risks have been classified and patients considered at high risk have been offered detailed fetal echocardiography, commonly at a center with appropriate expertise and facilities. However, most children are born to mothers who have no known risk features during pregnancy. Screening in the low-risk population has been reported to have lower accuracy rates then in high-risk population. The most common indication for performing a fetal echocardiogram is a prior family history of congenital heart disease. A number of drugs have been implicated as causes of various malformations, including heart anomalies. Therefore, their use during pregnancy is considered as indication for echocardiography. Several maternal conditions also carry an inherited risk to the fetus and their presence is also indication for this diagnostic procedure. The incidence of congenital heart disease is increased fivefold among infants of diabetic mothers, whereas phenylketonuria has reported risk of 12 to 16%. Chromosomal anomalies, extracardiac malformations and monozigotic twins are also indications for fetal echocardiography.