VEGFA and gestational diabetes: In addition, women with GDM showed strong staining for VEGFR-1 in vascular and trophoblastic cells, whereas VEGF and VEGFR-2 were detected only in trophoblasts.(23) Calderon et al. 2007(18) hypothesized that the increase in glycemic levels, proportional to the severity of the maternal clinical condition and intrauterine hypoxia, inhibits villous angiogenesis and interferes with maternal-fetal exchanges, with a consequent risk of perinatal mortality.