Pancreas Size and Fat Content Increase during Pregnancy and Correlate with Glycemic Control

This study investigates how the size and fat content of the pancreas change during pregnancy and postpartum in humans, and how these changes correlate with glycemic control, adiposity, and breastfeeding. The authors found that pancreas size increased by approximately 20% during pregnancy and was associated with higher fasting blood glucose levels and whole-body fat mass. Additionally, early high pancreatic fat content may predict impaired glucose tolerance, while breastfeeding was linked to a smaller decline in pancreas size postpartum.