Abstract: Visfatin/pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor（PBEF） has recently been identified as a novel
adipokine with insulin-mimetic effects and a regulatory factor in pro-inflammatory and immunomodulating processes. Visfatin is mainly expressed in adipose tissue, with particularly high level in both visceral and omental adipose tissue. Some clinical associated studies confirmed the association of visfatin and GDM, pre-eclampsia, metabolic syndrome, intrauterine growth restriction. Similarly, the relationship of visfatin with parameters of glucose metabolism and insulin resistance were contradictory, and overall there was no clear effect of visfatin on metabolism, normal and complicated pregnancies. Over the last few years, it has become obvious that obesity and various components of the metabolic syndrome are strongly linked with the adipokine such as visfatin/PBEF. The review aims to summarize reported findings concerning the role of visfatin/PBEF in normal and complicated pregnancies.

Key words: Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, Diabetes, gestational, Pre-eclampsia, Fetal development, Metabolic syndrome