Myo-inositol supplementation to prevent gestational diabetes in overweight non-obese women: bioelectrical impedance analysis, metabolic aspects, obstetric and neonatal outcomes.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can be defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Its development is associated with a variety of risk factors; among these, body weight is one of the most important. Therapeutic approaches to GDM include medical nutrition therapy and weight management, physical exercise, self-monitoring of blood glucose and pharmacological therapy, if required. In recent years, a vast array of studies demonstrated that a diet supplementation with myo-inositol has insulin sensitizing effects and may decrease GDM occurrence in populations at risk for this disease, like obese women or women with family history for Diabetes Mellitus type 2. Maternal body composition undergoes profound adaptive changes during pregnancy. Different techniques for evaluating body compartments are available but one of the most used in clinical practice is bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Currently, the most adopted BIA procedure is based on the use of cutaneous electrodes positioned in two pairs (hand-foot tetrapolar technique). The main objective of this study is to evaluate the occurrence of GDM and body water distribution in overweight non-obese pregnant women, randomized to a myo-inositol oral formulation (2g myo-inositol + 200 µg folic acid) or to placebo (200 µg folic acid). The secondary one is to evaluate the effects of treatment on the metabolism of these women, as well as on obstetric and neonatal outcomes.