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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Med.

Sec. Obstetrics and Gynecology

Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1607429

Acanthosis nigricans and acrochordons as clinical markers of metabolic disturbance during pregnancy: a prospective cohort study

Provisionally accepted
Erika IlatovErika Ilatov1Tamar EshkoliTamar Eshkoli1,2Aida MashalAida Mashal1Lior Bar-NatanLior Bar-Natan1,2Ariel BinyaminovAriel Binyaminov1Noga BorochovNoga Borochov1Adi Y. WeintraubAdi Y. Weintraub1,2Amir HorevAmir Horev2,3*
  • 1Soroka Medical Center, Beersheba, Tel Aviv, Israel
  • 2Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Southern District, Israel
  • 3Saban Center of Pediatrics, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer- Sheva, Tel Aviv, Israel

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Background: This study investigated the prevalence of acanthosis nigricans and ‎acrochordons as potential markers of diabetes or insulin resistance in diabetic and non-‎diabetic pregnant women, and examined their potential association with pregnancy ‎complications.‎ Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary university medical ‎center and included 62 pregnant women with diabetes during pregnancy and 58 non-‎diabetic controls. Maternal demographics, obstetrical history, and neonatal outcomes ‎were collected. The presence of acanthosis nigricans and acrochordons was assessed at ‎multiple body sites. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify ‎obstetrical complications and perinatal outcomes that are independently associated with ‎acrochordons.‎ Results: Acanthosis nigricans was more prevalent among women with diabetes, ‎particularly in the axilla (59.7% vs. 32.8%, p = 0.004), under the breast (46.8% vs. ‎‎19%, p = 0.002) and in the lower abdomen (35.5% vs. 25.5%, p=0.021). Similarly, ‎acrochordons were significantly more common in diabetic patients, with a higher ‎prevalence at various sites (p < 0.001) . In multivariable regression analysis, diabetes ‎during pregnancy and maternal age were independently associated with a high ‎prevalence of acrochordons.‎ Conclusion: Pregnant women with gestational diabetes showed a significantly higher ‎prevalence of acanthosis nigricans and acrochordons compared to those without. This ‎association suggests that acanthosis nigricans and acrochordons may be potential ‎indicators of underlying insulin resistance during pregnancy.‎

Keywords: Acanthosis Nigricans, Acrochordon, Pregnancy Outcome, Metabolic disturbance, Dermatological manifestations

Received: 11 Apr 2025; Accepted: 29 Aug 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Ilatov, Eshkoli, Mashal, Bar-Natan, Binyaminov, Borochov, Weintraub and Horev. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Amir Horev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, 8410501, Southern District, Israel

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