Health service use and health system costs associated with diabetes during pregnancy in Australia

Background and aims In the context of the rising rate of diabetes in pregnancy in Australia, this study aims to examine the health service and resource use associated with diabetes during pregnancy. Methods and results This project utilised a linked administrative dataset containing health and cost data for all mothers who gave birth in Queensland, Australia between 2012 and 2015 (n = 186,789, plus their babies, n = 189,909). The association between maternal characteristics and diabetes status were compared with chi-square analyses. Multiple logistic regression produced the odds ratio of having different outcomes for women who had diabetes compared to women who did not. A two-sample t-test compared the mean number of health services accessed. Generalised linear regression produced the mean costs associated with health service use. Mothers who had diabetes during pregnancy were more likely to have their labour induced at <38 weeks gestation (OR:1.39, 95% CI:1.29–1.50); have a cesarean section (OR: 1.26, 95% CI:1.22–1.31); have a preterm birth (OR:1.24, 95%: 1.18–1.32); have their baby admitted to a Special Care Nursery (OR: 2.34, 95% CI:2.26–2.43) and a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (OR:1.25, 95%CI: 1.14–1.37). On average, mothers with diabetes access health services on more occasions during pregnancy (54.4) compared to mothers without (50.5). Total government expenditure on mothers with diabetes over the first 1000 days of the perinatal journey was significantly higher than in mothers without diabetes ($12,757 and $11,332). Conclusion Overall, mothers that have diabetes in pregnancy require greater health care and resource use than mothers without diabetes in pregnancy.