Summary
Umbilical cords have been examined from twenty-one normal full-term pregnancies and from sixteen diabetic pregnancies. Cord thickness measured by planimetry of transverse sections was approximately twice as great in the diabetic compared with the normal material, but did not correspond closely with foetal size. The wet to dry weight ratio of 13.07 for diabetic cords was significantly greater than the figure of 9.73 for normal material. The amount of mucopolysaccharide as assessed by the measurement of glucosamine liberated by hydrolysis of Wharton's jelly was also significantly greater in diabetic cords, measuring 1.32 mg/g wet weight or 16.41 mg/g dry weight compared with the normal figures of 1.03 and 9.42 respectively. Diabetic pregnancy is apparently associated with an increased production of mucopolysaccharide, which could account for water retention and increased thickness of the umbilical cord.
Résumé
On a examiné les cordons ombilicaux de nouveau-nés de 21 mères ayant eu une grossesse normale à terme, et de 16 mères diabétiques. L'épaisseur du cordon, mesurée par planimétrie des coupes transversales, était approximativement 2 fois plus grande chez les diabétiques que chez les femmes normales, mais ne correspondait pas exactement à la taille foetale. Le rapport poids humide/poids sec de 13.07 pour les cordons des diabétiques était significativement plus grand que le rapport de 9.73 pour les cordons des femmes normales. La quantité de mucopolysaccharide, évaluée par la mesure de la glucosamine libérée par hydrolyse de la gelée de Wharton, était également significativement plus grande dans les cordons des diabétiques; elle était de 1.32 mg/g de poids humide ou de 16.41 mg/g de poids sec pour respectivement 1.03 et 9.42 chez les femmes normales. La grossesse des diabétiques est apparemment accompagnée d'une production accrue de mucopolysaccharide qui pourrait expliquer la rétention d'eau et l'épaisseur accrue du cordon ombilical.
Zusammenfassung
Die Nabelschnüre von 21 ausgetragenen normalen und 16 diabetischen Schwangerschaften wurden untersucht. An Querschnitten konnte planimetrisch nachgewiesen werden, daß die Nabelschnüre der Neugeborenen diabetiseher Mütter doppelt so dick waren wie bei normalen Neugeborenen, wobei sich jedoch kein enger Zusammenhang zur Größe des Foeten herstellen ließ. Das Verhältnis von Feucht-zu Trockengewicht lag mit 13.07 bei den diabetischen Nabelschnüren signifikant höher als bei den normalen mit 9.73. Auch ließ sich als Ausdruck eines erhöhten Mucopolysaccharid-Gehaltes aus der Wharton'schen Sulze diabetiseher Nabelschnüre mit 1.32 mg/g Feuchtgewicht, bzw. 16.41 mg/g Trockengewicht signifikant mehr Glucosamin freisetzen als aus Normalgewebe (1.03 bzw. 9.42 mg/g). Während der diabetischen Schwangerschaft kommt es offensichtlich zu einer verstärkten Bildung von Mucopolysacchariden, die für die Wasserretention und die Zunahme des Durchmessers der Nabelschnüre verantwortlich sein könnte.
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Patrick, R.S., Walker, P. The glucosamine content of human umbilical cord jelly in normal and diabetic pregnancy. Diabetologia 5, 29–33 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01212216
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01212216