Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Care Research Articles

Long-term cost-effectiveness of implementing a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy to reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes

Aims/hypothesisThe aim of this study was to determine the long-term cost-effectiveness and return on investment of implementing a structured lifestyle intervention to reduce excessive gestational weight gain and associated incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus.MethodsA decision-analytic Markov model was used to compare the health and cost-effectiveness outcomes for (1) a structured lifestyle intervention during pregnancy to prevent GDM and subsequent type 2 diabetes; and (2) current usual antenatal care. Life table modelling was used to capture type 2 diabetes morbidity, mortality and quality-adjusted life years over a lifetime horizon for all women giving birth in Australia. Costs incorporated both healthcare and societal perspectives. The intervention effect was derived from published meta-analyses. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to capture the impact of uncertainty in the model.ResultsThe model projected a 10% reduction in the number of women subsequently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes through implementation of the lifestyle intervention compared with current usual care. The total net incremental cost of intervention was approximately AU$70 million, and the cost savings from the reduction in costs of antenatal care for GDM, birth complications and type 2 diabetes management were approximately AU$85 million. The intervention was dominant (cost-saving) compared with usual care from a healthcare perspective, and returned AU$1.22 (95% CI 0.53, 2.13) per dollar invested. The results were robust to sensitivity analysis, and remained cost-saving or highly cost-effective in each of the scenarios explored.Conclusions/interpretationThis study demonstrates significant cost savings from implementation of a structured lifestyle intervention during pregnancy, due to a reduction in adverse health outcomes for women during both the perinatal period and over their lifetime.Graphical abstract

An Evaluation of Virtual Care for Gestational Diabetes Using the Quadruple Aim Framework: Assessment of Patient and Provider Experience, Cost, and Clinical Outcomes

ObjectiveOur aim in this study was to evaluate the impact of virtual care for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsThis multiple methods program evaluation used the Quadruple Aim Framework. The impact on patient experience, cost, and provider satisfaction was assessed using surveys and interviews. Chi-square and Poisson statistics were used to compare clinical outcomes before (April 2019 to February 2020) and after (May 2020 to March 2021) the shift to virtual care. ResultsPatient experience surveys were completed by 85 women. Most of them rated their virtual care experience as good or excellent (93%), with a preference for continued virtual visits in the future (84%). Most respondents felt virtual care saved them money (93%) and time (98%). Six health-care providers at the Diabetes in Pregnancy Clinic were interviewed and all believed the switch to virtual care was largely positive. Overall, interview transcripts revealed that health-care providers were happy with the transition, although nurses initially perceived an increased workload. There were no significant differences in rates of cesarean section procedures, macrosomia, neonatal intensive care unit admissions or the proportion of appointments at which insulin was initiated between in-person and virtual care patient outcomes. There was a decreased proportion of missed appointments after the switch to virtual care (6.15% vs 1.21%, p<0.0001). ConclusionsThere has been high patient and provider satisfaction with virtual GDM care, with no difference in clinical outcomes and fewer missed appointments. Virtual GDM care should remain an option in the future.

Smartphone Apps for Surveillance of Gestational Diabetes: Scoping Review.

Developments and evolutions in the information and communication technology sector have provided a solid foundation for the emergence of mobile health (mHealth) in recent years. The cornerstone to management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the self-management of glycemic indices, dietary intake, and lifestyle adaptations. Given this, it is readily adaptable to incorporation of remote monitoring strategies involving mHealth solutions. We sought to examine and assess the available smartphone apps which enable self-monitoring and remote surveillance of GDM with a particular emphasis on the generation of individualized patient feedback. Five databases were searched systematically for any studies evaluating mHealth-supported smartphone solutions for GDM management from study inception until January 2022. The studies were screened and assessed for eligibility of inclusion by 2 independent reviewers. Ultimately, 17 studies were included involving 1871 patients across 11 different countries. The PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) conceptual framework was adhered to for data extraction and categorization purposes. All studies analyzed as part of this review facilitated direct uploading of data from the handheld glucometer to the downloaded patient-facing smartphone app. Glycemic data were captured by all studies and were reassuringly found to be either improved or noninferior to extant models of hospital-based care. Feedback was delivered in either an automated fashion through in-app communication from the health care team or facilitated through bidirectional communication with the app and hospital portal. Although resource utilization and cost-effective analyses were reported in some studies, the results were disparate and require more robust analysis. Where patient and staff satisfaction levels were evaluated, the response was overwhelmingly positive for mHealth smartphone-delivered care strategies. Emergency cesarean section rates were reduced; however, elective cesarean sections were comparatively increased among studies where the mode of delivery was assessed. Most reviewed studies did not identify any differences in maternal, perinatal, or neonatal health when app-based care was compared with usual in-person review. This comprehensive scoping review highlights the feasibility, reliability, and acceptability of app-assisted health care for the management of GDM. Although further exploration of the economic benefit is required prior to implementation in a real-world clinical setting, the prospect of smartphone-assisted health care for GDM is hugely promising.

Impact of gestational diabetes mellitus treatment on medium/long-term outcomes after pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

We aimed to evaluate the effect of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) treatment on medium/long-term outcomes both the mother and offspring. We performed a systematic review on randomized clinical trials addressing specific treatment of women with GDM versus usual care and its impact on maternal and offspring outcomes at medium/long-term. MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL were searched from inception to 8 October 2021. maternal (diabetes, metabolic syndrome, 12 secondary); offspring (diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, high body mass index, 15 secondary). Risk of bias was assessed with Cochrane tool and aggregation performed with Revman 5.4. We included five studies (1140 women, 767 offspring) with follow-up ranging 4-16 years after delivery. GDM treatment likely does not reduce risk of maternal diabetes (RR 1.00; [95% CI 0.82-1.23]) and may not reduce that of metabolic syndrome (RR 0.93; [95% CI 0.71-1.22]). We obtained very uncertain evidence that treatment may increase maternal HDL-cholesterol. Findings showed that GDM treatment may not have an impact on infants' outcomes (RRs 0.79; [95% CI 0.39-1.69] for impaired fasting glucose; RR 0.91; [95% CI 0.74-1.12] for body mass index >85th centile and 0.89; [95% CI 0.65-1.22] for body mass index >95th centile respectively). With current evidence is uncertain if specific treatment of women with GDM has an impact on medium/long-term metabolic outcomes either in the mother or in the offspring. These results add evidence to the recommendation of systematically reevaluating mother and offspring after delivery. OSF, DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/KFN79.

The Case for Early and Universal Screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Findings from 9314 Pregnant Women in a Major City in Nigeria.

IntroductionRisk-based screening has been replaced by universal screening as the recommended course of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). As of 2016, no state in Nigeria had implemented a policy of universal screening for GDM. This research aimed to assess findings from a universal screening programme and its implication for scaling up universal and early screening for GDM.MethodsThis was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Rivers State Nigeria between February 2017 and January 2020. Multistage sampling was used to recruit 9314 pregnant women from 30 primary, secondary, and tertiary health facilities in the state. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used by trained healthcare workers to collect socio-demographic, obstetric and medical information. All study participants had a plasma glucose test on their first hospital visit and a diagnosis made using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Data obtained was analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.ResultsMost women [5683 (61.0%)] were aged 25–34 (mean 29.60 ± 5.64) years. The prevalence of GDM in this study was 5.2% with a prevalence of GDM in the first, second and third trimesters of 4.9%, 4.2% and 6.7%, respectively. The prevalence of GDM among persons with a family history of diabetes was 13.2% (97 persons) while 4.6% (391 persons) without family history were diagnosed with GDM. Gestational age, family history of diabetes and age group were found to be significant predictors of GDM among the study participants after adjusting for confounding variables.ConclusionThe practice of universal screening was useful in identifying GDM in 1 out of 20 pregnant women in the study sample. Screening at all trimesters was useful in identifying GDM. There is an urgent need to scale up early and universal screening for GDM across sub-Saharan Africa.

Perinatal outcomes among twin pregnancies with gestational diabetes mellitus: A nine-year retrospective cohort study.

ObjectiveTo compare the outcomes between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) vs. non-GDM twin gestations.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of 2,151 twin pregnancies was performed in a tertiary hospital in Foshan, China, 2012–2020. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were compared between women with vs. without GDM using 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) and multivariable logistic models. For neonatal outcomes, generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach was used to address the intertwin correlation.ResultsOf the 2,151 participants, 472 women (21.9%) were diagnosed with GDM. Women with GDM were older and more likely to be overweight or obese, and more likely have chronic hypertension, assisted pregnancies and dichorionic twins. In the PSM cohort of 942 pregnancies, there was no statistical difference when comparing GDM twin pregnancies and non-GDM in any of the perinatal outcomes, especially in terms of preterm birth (PTB) <37 weeks (P = 0.715), large for gestational age (LGA) (P = 0.521) and neonatal respiratory distress (NRDS) (P = 0.206). In the entire cohort, no significant adjusted ORs for these outcomes were obtained from logistic regression models adjusted for confounders (aOR for PTB < 37 weeks: 1.25, 95% CI: 0.98–1.58; aOR for LGA: 1.26, 95% CI: 0.88–1.82; and aOR for NRDS, 1.05, 95% CI: 0.68–1.64).ConclusionTwin pregnancies with GDM and adequate prenatal care have comparable perinatal outcomes to those without.

Mothers' Perspectives on a Mother/Infant Dyad Postpartum Primary Care Program Following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Pilot Study.

The purpose of this study is to characterize mothers' experiences within a mother/infant dyad postpartum primary care program (Dyad) following gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) to inform improvements in the delivery of care. A qualitative pilot study of women (n = 10) enrolled in a mother/infant Dyad program was conducted in a primary care practice at a large, urban academic medical center. Respondents were asked a series of open-ended questions about their experience with GDM, the Dyad program, and health behaviors. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using ground theory with NVivo 12 Plus software. Three key themes emerged: (1) Dyad program experience, (2) implementation of health behavior changes, and (3) acknowledgment of future GDM and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) health risks. Respondents felt that the program conveniently served mother and infant health care needs in a single appointment. Respondents also valued support from primary care providers when implementing health behavior changes. The Dyad program provided an opportunity for respondents to understand their current and future risk for developing GDM and T2DM. Postpartum women enrolled in the Dyad program received highly personalized primary care services. The results of our study will help integrate patient-centered strategies into models for GDM care to maintain patient engagement in postpartum clinical services.

Perceived Barriers to Management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and Recommendations for Developing a Mobile App for GDM

ObjectivesMobile technology is increasingly used to augment management and treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), however its use is limited in low and middle income countries like Nepal. We conducted a qualitative study in order to inform the development of a culturally-appropriate mobile app that supports management of GDM among patients in Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal.MethodsA total of 12 women with GDM diagnosis (either current or in the preceding 1 year) were recruited from a tertiary level hospital in Nepal. In order to explore the perceived barriers and facilitators to GDM management, we conducted focus group (1 with 4 participants) and in-depth interviews (IDIs; n = 8) with GDM patients, as well as IDIs with their spouses (n = 2) and GDM care providers (n = 5). Towards the end of the focus group and IDIs, the prototype for the proposed GDM app was shown, and feedback was sought on app's features and function. Focus group and IDIs were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was undertaken using manual coding.ResultsWe identified several facilitators to GDM management including at the individual level (e.g., concern for baby's health), family level (e.g., accompaniment to hospital visits, emotional support) and health system level (e.g., universal GDM screening, team approach to management). Notable barriers included inadequate time for diet/lifestyle counseling during hospital visits, abrupt change in diet/lifestyle from pre- to post GDM diagnosis, misconceptions around diet and physical activity, as well as social/cultural barriers including food-centered traditions and festivities, and lack of decision-making power in the household. Majority of GDM patients and their spouses indicated that they lacked sufficient information to manage GDM and were frustrated by frequent hospital visits. All participants agreed that the proposed mobile app would be useful and relevant to women with GDM. They believed it would help overcome existing barriers by empowering pregnant women with information and tools to manage GDM and track their progress.ConclusionsOur user research affirmed the potential utility of our target app, and provided important insight into app features that would need to be incorporated to meet patient needs and knowledge gaps, as well as address the barriers related to GDM management.Funding SourcesNIH/FIC.

Relationship among chrononutrition, sleep, and glycemic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUNDGestational diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidities. Chronobiological disorders have recently been identified as risk factors for those morbidities. The disorders include chrononutritional disorders related to meal frequency and content according to the sleep-wake cycle, sleep disorders related to sleep quality, and chrono-obesity disorders, such as abnormal weight gain because of sleep deprivation and time of eating. OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to assess whether a chrononutritional and sleep hygiene intervention can improve maternal glycemic control and reduce the proportion of large-for-gestational-age newborns among women with gestational diabetes mellitus. STUDY DESIGNThis randomized controlled trial included 103 women with gestational diabetes mellitus who were carrying a singleton fetus and assigned to either the intervention group (n=33) or the control group (n=70). The intervention group was assigned to a chrononutrition and sleep hygiene program, in addition to the usual care for gestational diabetes mellitus, from the time of diabetes mellitus diagnosis to birth, whereas the control group received the usual gestational diabetes mellitus care. RESULTSThe chrononutritional and sleep hygiene intervention significantly reduced the proportion of women with suboptimal glycemic control (<80% of the plasma glucose values at target), after adjustment for maternal age, prepregnancy body mass index, gravidity, history of gestational diabetes mellitus, and large for gestational age (relative risk, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.18–0.81). The effect of the intervention on balancing maternal glycemic control was mainly because of the decreased carbohydrate intake in the evening interval of the day (relative risk, 0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.64–0.99). However, the intervention had no effect on the proportion of large-for-gestational-age newborns. CONCLUSIONThe chrononutritional and sleep hygiene intervention can improve maternal glycemic control.

Comparative effectiveness of adjunct non-pharmacological interventions on maternal and neonatal outcomes in gestational diabetes mellitus patients: A systematic review and network meta-analysis protocol of randomized controlled trials.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in pregnancy leads to a range of perinatal complications. Although several randomized controlled trials (RCT) have tested the effect of non-pharmacological standard GDM care adjuncts on these outcomes, there is no agglomerated statistical evidence on how their occurrence risk varies across interventions and with placebo. Therefore, a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) protocol is proposed here to address this evidence gap. A search for above RCTs published in the English language will transpire in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases irrespective of date and geographic boundary. The RCTs must test nutritional supplementation, digital intervention, structured exercise program, educational program, counseling service, or a combination of these prenatally in GDM patients. These should report ≥1 of the following outcomes- cesarean section, pre-eclampsia, polyhydramnios, preterm birth, macrosomia, prolonged labor, gestational hypertension, premature rupture of membranes, congenital anomaly, Apgar scores, birth weight, birth length, gestational age at birth, neonatal hypoglycemia, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and neonatal Corpulence Index. The risk of bias assessment of the recruited trials will transpire using the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Determination of the comparative effectiveness between interventions will occur by the frequentist method NMA for respective outcomes. The categorical and continuous outcomes effect size will get calculated in risk ratio and weighted or standardized mean difference, respectively. For each NMA model, network maps and league tables will show the connections between interventions and effect sizes with their 95% confidence intervals for each intervention pair compared, respectively. The publication bias assessment will occur using comparison-adjusted funnel plots. Best intervention prediction for NMA models with statistically significant intervention effect will happen by determining the surface under the cumulative ranking curve values. Statistical analysis will ensue using Stata software (v16). The statistical significance estimation will happen at p<0.05 and 95% confidence interval. PROSPERO registration no: CRD42021271199; https://clinicaltrials.gov/.

Social Nervous Exercise Intervention and Its Association with Fasting Blood Glucose on Diabetes Mellitus Gestational

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been identified as a major complication of pregnancies and has remained a major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality, in both mother and child. Exercise can be used as a strategy to reduce hyperglycemia experienced during GDM. Regular exercise is important for a healthy pregnancy and can lower the risk of developing GDM. For women with GDM. Exercise is safe and can affect the pregnancy outcomes beneficially. The role of exercise about increases skeletal muscle glucose uptake and minimizing hyperglycemia. Social nervous (SaSo) exercise is a moderate-intensity exercise intervention that plays a role in controlling blood glucose through autonomic nervous stimulation so that it has an effect on glucose homeostasis. Social nervous exercise can stimulate the parasympathetic or myelinated vagus nerves. The social nerve or the social nervous system is the vagus nerve nc-X which is supported by cranial nerves, namely, nerves V, VII, IX, and XI centered in the nucleus ambiguous. AIM: The aim of the study is to determine the impact of a social nervous (SaSo) exercise training program consisting of warm-up, core (prayer movements), and cooling exercises on glucose homeostasis parameters in pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. METHODS: Thirty-seven pregnant women diagnosed with GDM at 24–28 weeks of gestation were allocated into two groups, thats the experimental group (n=19) with the SaSo program being regularly monitored and the control group (n=18) receiving only standard antenatal care for GDM. The Saso program started from the time diabetes was diagnosed until 6 weeks of intervention. Interventions were performed twice per week and sessions lasted 40–45 min. RESULTS: The baseline results for the experimental and control groups were homogeneous, without differences in the baseline variables (p &gt; 0.05). Social nervous exercise the experimental group significantly reduced fasting blood glucose levels (p &lt; 0.001) compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: A social nervous exercise program has a beneficial effect on fasting blood glucose levels in late pregnancy.

Evaluation of the implementation of a best practice gestational diabetes model of care in two Australian metropolitan services.

Dissemination and local adaptation of best practice models of care are often poorly achieved in knowledge translation processes. Understanding and documenting the iterative cycles of improvement can elucidate barriers, enablers and benefits of the process for future adoption and service integration improvements. This project examined the process of local adaptation for a third stage translation of a gestational diabetes dietetic model of care through collaboration with two Queensland (Australia) hospitals. Using a hub (research team)-spoke (sites) model, two Queensland Hospital and Health Service Districts were supported to assess and address evidence-practice dietetic model of care gaps in their gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) services. Sites selected demonstrated strong GDM team cohesiveness and project commitment. The project phases were: Consultation; Baseline; Transition; Implementation; and Evaluation. Despite strong site buy-in and use of a previously successful model of care dissemination and adoption strategy, unexpected global, organisational, team and individual barriers prevented successful implementation of the model of care at both sites. Barriers included challenges with ethics and governance requirements for health service research, capacity to influence and engage multidisciplinary teams, staff turnover and coronavirus disease 2019's (COVID-19's) disruption to service delivery. This third iteration of the dissemination of a best practice model of nutrition care for GDM in two Queensland Hospital and Health Service Districts did not achieve successful clinical or process outcomes. However, valuable learnings and recommendations regarding future clinical and research health service redesign aligned with best practice are suggested.

The Effectiveness of Telemedical Monitoring Program DiabCare Tirol for Patients with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

27 courses of patients with GDM, who were telemonitored through the integrated care program DiabCare Tirol in a diabetes outpatient clinic in Tyrol, Austria during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, were analyzed. In addition, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on telemedicine interventions for GDM were researched, and their results were used for comparison with this disease management method. The patient outcome analysis was used to examine the effects of the integrated care program involving telemonitoring support and compared them to the results of RCTs in which participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, either mobile monitored or standard treatment group. The feasibility of the digital treatment pathway model was confirmed in practice, as the trend analysis of the 27 GDM patients involved showed significantly improved glycaemic control. Results of RCT studies tend to support the findings of DiabCare Tirol. Benefits of telemonitoring with integrated care to support conventional therapy cannot be dismissed, especially in times of the pandemic. Continuous outcome research with larger patient numbers will be necessary to confirm the effectiveness of telemonitoring in a regular care setting.

Effects of individual dietary intervention on blood glucose level and pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cohort study.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the incidence of adverse outcomes in pregnant women. Individual diet intervention (IDI) was developed in our center through collaboration with nutritionists to treat GDM and prevent further complications. We then aimed to analyze the effects of IDI on the level of blood glucose and pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with GDM. We retrospectively enrolled pregnant women with GDM between April 2016 and March 2020. Participants in the control group received routine GDM care, and those in the study group received extra IDI on the basis of routine GDM care. Demographic and clinical characteristics of participating pregnant women were retrospectively collected. The study outcomes were the status of blood glucose control after 6 weeks of IDI or conventional intervention and pregnancy outcomes. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were sequentially performed to determine the predictors of proper blood glucose control and risk factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the study population. A total of 817 pregnant women who had been diagnosed as GDM were enrolled in this study, including 435 admitted between April 2016 to March 2018 who received conventional medication and 382 who were admitted between April 2018 to March 2020 and received IDI. Generally, there was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between study and control groups. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level after intervention was statistically lower in the study group than in the control group (5.6±0.9 vs. 5.5±0.7, P=0.006). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that IDI was a predictor of proper blood glucose control in GDM participants (P=0.003). There were more cesarean sections and cases of macrosomia in the control group than the study group, showing statistical difference (35.9% vs. 28.5%, P=0.026; 8.7% vs. 4.7%, P=0.023, respectively). According to multivariable logistic regression analysis, IDI was identified as playing a protective role against cesarean section in GDM participants (P=0.034) and it could reduce the incidence of macrosomia in GDM participants (P=0.028). This novel pattern of IDI may not only help stabilize blood glucose levels in pregnant women with GDM, but also reduce the incidence of adverse outcomes to a certain extent.

Survey of Diabetologists and Obstetricians’ Practice Patterns Related to Care for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus During the COVID-19 Pandemic in India

Aim: There are limited data on the management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This survey was carried out in India to understand the practice patterns of diabetologists and obstetricians (OBs) during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: An online questionnaire was designed, and the link to the survey was shared with doctors through email. Questions were related to the diagnosis and management of GDM both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A total of 117 diabetologists and 90 OBs from different parts of India participated in the survey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, diabetologists carried out higher random glucose and HbA1c tests and lower numbers of oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs), but differences compared with before COVID-19 were nonsignificant. The OBs reported doing a significantly lower number of OGTTs (85.6% vs. 95.6%, P = 0.02) and significantly more HbA1c tests (16.7% vs. 5.6%, P = 0.03) and self-monitoring of blood glucose (59.4% vs. 37.1%, P &lt; 0.0001) during the pandemic, than earlier. Although 97% of all the doctors surveyed reported using some form of telemedicine, several challenges were identified. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes in the management of women with GDM. The use of digital technologies could help improve the care of women with GDM during such pandemics.

2020 NICE guideline update: Good news for pregnant women with type 1 diabetes and past or current gestational diabetes.

In December 2020, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reviewed the evidence and updated their recommendations on intermittently scanned (commonly known as Flash) and Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) during pregnancy for women with type 1 diabetes (1). The NICE guidelines now recommend offering CGM to all pregnant women with type 1 diabetes to help them meet their pregnancy glucose targets and improve neonatal outcomes. Their evidence review, based on the CONCEPTT randomised trial (2) and a Swedish observational study (3) found that, compared to capillary glucose monitoring, CGM resulted in more women achieving their blood glucose targets, fewer caesarean sections and fewer neonatal intensive care admissions.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) Related Common Risk Factors and Recurrence among Pregnant Patients: A Multifactorial Cross-Sectional Study

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Objective: To determine the frequency of newly diagnosed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and common associated factors in recurrent GDM. Study Design: Cross sectional. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology unit A of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from 27th July 2016 to 27th Jan 2017. Materials and Methods: 336 women meeting the eligibility criteria (18-45 years, of any gestational age with gestational diabetes mellitus history and diagnosed as recurrent gestational diabetes) were included in the study. All patients who were labeled as a case of recurrent gestational diabetes was further investigated for any risk factor associated with its recurrence. Results: The recurrence of Gestational Diabetes was observed in 99 (29.46%) patients, in which 77% of patients had family history positive. Conclusion: Keeping in view the recurrence of gestational diabetes proper screening and medical care for GDM in women during the childbearing years is highly recommended.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Healthcare Professionals' Perspectives on the Cross-Sectoral Treatment Pathway for Women with Gestational Diabetes during and after Pregnancy-A Qualitative Study.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk of adverse outcomes during and after pregnancy, including a long-term risk of type 2 diabetes. Women with GDM are treated by numerous healthcare professionals during pregnancy and describe a lack of preventive care after pregnancy. We aim to investigate healthcare professionals’ perspectives on the cross-sectoral treatment pathway for women with GDM—during and after pregnancy. A qualitative study was conducted using systematic text condensation. Nine healthcare professionals (two general practitioners, four midwives, two obstetricians and one diabetes nurse) were interviewed and eight health visitors participated in two focus group discussions., Three major themes emerged: (1) “professional identities”, which were identified across healthcare professionals and shaped care practices; (2) ”unclear guidelines on type 2 diabetes prevention after GDM”, which contributed to uncertainty about tasks and responsibilities during and after pregnancy; and (3) “cross-sectoral collaboration”, which relied heavily on knowledge transfers between hospitals, general practice and the local municipality. The findings implicate that clear, transparent guidelines for all sectors should be prioritized to strengthen cross-sectoral care to women with GDM during and after pregnancy. As a result, strong cross-sectoral care throughout the GDM care pathway may improve maternal health by supporting healthy behaviors, facilitate weight loss and reduce the risk of subsequent GDM and early onset diabetes.

Integrating gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes care into primary health care: Lessons from prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in South Africa - A mixed methods study.

BackgroundImplementation of the programmes for the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) into antenatal care over the last three decades could inform implementation of interventions for other health challenges such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study assessed PMTCT outcomes, and how GDM screening, care, and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) prevention were integrated into PMTCT in Western Cape (WC), South Africa.MethodsA convergent mixed methods and triangulation design were used. Content and thematic analysis of PMTCT-related policy documents and of 30 semi-structured interviews with HIV/PMTCT experts, health care workers and women under PMTC diagnosed with GDM complement quantitative longitudinal analysis of PMTCT implementation indicators across the WC for 2012–2017.ResultsProvincial PMTCT and Post Natal Care (PNC) documents emphasized the importance of PMTCT, but GDM screening and T2DM prevention were not covered. Data on women with both HIV and GDM were not available and GDM screening was not integrated into PMTCT. Women who attended HIV counselling and testing annually increased at 17.8% (95% CI: 12.9% - 22.0%), while women who delivered under PMTCT increased at 3.1% (95% CI: 0.6% - 5.9%) annually in the WC. All 30 respondents favour integrating GDM screening and T2DM prevention initiatives into PMTCT.ConclusionPMTCT programmes have not yet integrated GDM care. However, Western Cape PMTCT integration experience suggests that antenatal GDM screening and post-partum initiatives for preventing or delaying T2DM can be successfully integrated into PMTCT and primary care.

Women’s experience with receiving advice on diet and Self-Monitoring of blood glucose for gestational diabetes mellitus: a qualitative study

Objective We aimed to explore how women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) experience advice about diet and self-monitoring of blood glucose received in primary health care (PHC) and secondary health care (SHC) with a focus on how women perceived the care coordination and collaboration between healthcare professionals. Design, setting and subjects Individual interviews were conducted with 12 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. Six women had immigrant backgrounds, and six were ethnic Norwegian. Women received GDM care in the area of Oslo, Norway. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Women described feeling shocked when they were diagnosed with GDM and feeling an immediate need for information about the consequences and management of GDM. Most of the women felt that their general practitioner (GP) had too little knowledge about GDM. Women with an immigrant background felt that the PHC midwives provided them with sufficient dietary advice related to GDM. Ethnic Norwegian women appreciated receiving more individually tailored dietary advice in SHC. Self-monitoring of blood glucose influenced women’s daily lives; however, they perceived the training in PHC and SHC as adequate. The women experienced poor collaboration between healthcare professionals in PHC and SHC, which implied that they sometimes had to initiate follow-up steps in their GDM care by themselves. Conclusions Ideally, women diagnosed with GDM should meet healthcare professionals with sufficient knowledge about GDM as soon as possible after being diagnosed. The collaboration between healthcare professionals involved in the care of women with GDM should be improved to avoid having women feel that they need to coordinate their own care. KEY POINTS Current awareness •The management of gestational diabetes mellitus requires appropriate follow-up by healthcare professionals Main statements •Pregnant women’s need for information about the consequences and management of gestational diabetes mellitus was highest immediately after diagnosis •Women perceived that they received more individually tailored information about diet and self-monitoring of blood glucose in secondary health care compared to primary health care •Women felt that general practitioners had insufficient knowledge about gestational diabetes mellitus •Based on our results, care coordination and collaboration between healthcare professionals involved in the care of women with gestational diabetes mellitus should be improved