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Public Health Implications
As the prevalence of gestational diabetes increases, it is
appropriate to ask the difficult questions regarding its
overall public health impact. An understanding of what
resources are required for its diagnosis and treatment
and how cost-effective our efforts will be is essential.
An analysis of the costs and benefits of diagnosis and
treatment of mild gestational diabetes [75-g, 2-h glucose
tolerance test value of 140 –199 mg/dL (7.77–
11.05 mmol/L)] revealed that the incremental direct
inpatient and outpatient hospital cost of treating 1 case
of mild gestational diabetes was A$539.85 (Australian
dollars), and the additional charges incurred by the patient’s
family were A$65.21 (70 ). For every 100 cases of
gestational diabetes that were identified and treated,
2.2 fewer babies experienced serious perinatal complications
(defined as death, shoulder dystocia, bone fracture,
and nerve palsy), and 1 fewer babies experienced
perinatal death. The incremental cost per serious perinatal
complication prevented was A$27 503. There is
great concern that the new recommendations from
IADPSG/ADA may increase healthcare costs without
improving the health of our population (71 ). A Canadian
randomized trial(72 )revealed that the per patient
direct costs of screening and testing would be greater
(Can$108.38 [Canadian dollars]) with a 1-step approach
using the WHO criteria (16 ) than with 2-step
protocols utilizing either the NDDG-recommended
(11 ) 100-g, 3-h OGTT criteria (Can$91.61) or the Canadian
Diabetes Association (73 ) criteria (Can$89.03).
In this randomized trial the investigators did not test
the new IADPSG/ADA criteria (1 ). The prevalence of
gestational diabetes was similar (3.6%–3.7%) in each of
the 3 groups. Assuming that the prevalence of GDM by
the new ADA criteria would be in the 16% range, the
cost per case of GDM diagnosed would presumably fall
from Can$3010 to Can$677, and in that sense the ADA
1-step approach would be considerably more costeffective
than either 2-step approach. A decision analysis
model (74 ) was used to compared no screening
with the current ACOG approach (13 ) and the
IADPSG/ADA approach (1 ). Compared to no screening,
the IADPSG/ADA strategy was equally as costeffective
as the current ACOG strategy only if treatment
included postdelivery care, which reduces the
incidence of subsequent diabetes. It is to be expected
that more information about public health implications
will become available if and when the new criteria
are more widely adopted.
Regardless of the criteria used, gestational diabetes
is increasing in prevalence around the world in parallel
with the increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2
diabetes. All of these trends will no doubt stress the
healthcare systems both in the US and abroad. Hopefully,
more efficient and more scientifically based approaches
to diagnosis and treatment will evolve to keep
up with demands. Ultimately, prevention must be the
goal.
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