Obesidad materna como factor de riesgo para macrosomía fetal en niños de madres con diabetes gestacional que acudieron al Hospital General Universitario de Guayaquil en el periodo 2021–2022.

Abstract

Introduction: Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy and affects women who previously did not have this condition. Its pathophysiology involves a combination of hormonal, metabolic, and genetic factors that lead to a decrease in insulin function and resistance to this hormone. During pregnancy, certain hormones such as placental lactogen (HPL), estrogen, and progesterone can partially block the action of insulin, known as insulin resistance. Additionally, the placenta can influence the liver, increasing glucose production, which exacerbates insulin resistance. Objectives: To recognize maternal obesity as a risk factor for fetal macrosomia in children of mothers with gestational diabetes treated at the University General Hospital of Guayaquil in the period 2021-2022. Methods: This research study has an observational and descriptive, non-experimental approach. It was carried out through the review of medical records belonging to hospitalized patients in the gynecology area of the University Hospital of Guayaquil. The main diagnoses on which we have based our research are those related to gestational diabetes, obesity, and fetal macrosomia. Conclusion: Macrosomia is linked to maternal obesity before and during pregnancy. The concentration of glucose in the mother's blood has a stronger connection with macrosomia than the mother's body mass index (BMI). Fetuses exposed to maternal diabetes experience changes in their growth patterns, such as a reduction in head size and longer upper limbs compared to lower limbs.