Financial implications of implementing standards of care for diabetes and pregnancy.

This article examines the financial implications of implementing standards of care for pregnancy among women with diabetes, including both the costs of enhanced treatment and the savings of avoided adverse outcomes. Numerous studies have demonstrated the harmful effects of poor blood glucose control for both mother and fetus. Standards set forth by the American Diabetes Association aim to reduce maternal complications and fetal adverse outcomes, such as congenital malformations. Because the precise configuration of resources required to meet these standards was not outlined in the American Diabetes Association statement, a panel of physicians (all specialists in pregnancy care for women with diabetes) was convened to develop a model program. Implementing such a program during the preconception and prenatal periods will represent an intensification of resource use in the outpatient setting. However, through these preventive measures, medical care costs for maternal and fetal complications can be avoided.