Use of healthcare resources after gestational diabetes mellitus: A longitudinal case–control analysis

Abstract

Aims: To analyse whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was associated with increases in healthcare utilisation after delivery. Methods: A longitudinal case–control registry-based study of 579 women with GDM delivered in 1995–2001. Two controls for each case were selected from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, matched for year of birth, year of delivery, and municipality of residence. Data regarding healthcare utilisation was provided by the Patients’ Administrative System in Skåne County, Sweden, covering the period from the years of delivery up to year 2009. Results: Women with previous GDM had higher mean number of contacts and total cost in the years after delivery as compared to controls, also when excluding utilisation related to subsequent pregnancies and childbirth. By year 2009, 31% of women with prior GDM were diagnosed with diabetes, compared to 1% of controls. Women diagnosed with diabetes were more likely to use health care (odds ratio 14.22, 95% confidence interval 5.87–34.45) controlling for age and time since delivery, whereas cases not diagnosed with diabetes did not differ from controls. The average annual cost of healthcare utilisation was 101% higher ( p<0.001) for women with diabetes 10 years after delivery compared to controls. Conclusions: GDM was associated with higher healthcare utilisation postpartum for women who had a diabetes diagnosis. The results call for implementation of structured programmes to follow up women with GDM postpartum for early detection of diabetes and effective management, which may have the potential for improved health and savings in healthcare costs.