Efficacy of preconception care of diabetic women in a community setting.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of informal preconception care of diabetic women on first-trimester glycemia control in a community setting.


METHODS
Forty-five women with pregestational diabetes underwent a standardized interview regarding their preconception care prior to the index pregnancy. Patients under 14 weeks' gestation had their glycosylated hemoglobin measured; it was used as an index of first-trimester glycemic control. Variables related to glycemic control were analyzed with reference to glycosylated hemoglobin results.


RESULTS
Despite a high incidence of counseling and frequent preconception visits, the mean first-trimester glycosylated hemoglobin (+/- SD) was high (10.7 +/- 2.0), and the majority of pregnancies were unplanned.


CONCLUSIONS
Informal and noncentralized preconception care was not effective in preventing first-trimester hyperglycemia in this group of diabetic women. A high rate of unplanned pregnancy and lack of structured preconception care were prevalent and possibly etiologic.
Rodgers
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BD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA.
Rodgers
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DE
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin