Do Virtual Consultations Improve the Management of Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is affecting an increasing number of pregnant women and can lead to complications for both mother and baby. A recent study conducted at a major hospital in Dublin compared two approaches to managing this condition: traditional in-person consultations and a new remote monitoring model.

In 2021, the hospital established a virtual clinic for women with gestational diabetes. Using connected tools such as Bluetooth glucometers, patients could transmit their blood glucose results in real time to their medical team. Educational sessions, previously held in person, were now conducted online as webinars. Follow-up appointments took place via videoconferencing, allowing women to stay at home.

The results show that this virtual approach enabled almost all patients to participate in information sessions, compared to slightly fewer in person. Treatment was also able to start more quickly after diagnosis. Women benefited from faster access to care and continuous follow-up without having to travel to the hospital as often.

Births proceeded similarly in both groups, with comparable baby weights and pregnancy durations. This suggests that the quality of care was not affected by the shift to virtual consultations. On the other hand, remote monitoring reduced missed appointments and simplified life for patients by limiting travel.

This study confirms that virtual consultations, combined with remote monitoring tools, offer an effective alternative for managing gestational diabetes. They enable faster access to care, better participation in educational sessions, and continuity of medical follow-up, while maintaining similar outcomes for both mother and child. These innovations could thus become a sustainable solution to improve the experience of pregnant women facing this condition.

Bibliographie

Source de l’étude

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-026-01845-9

Titre : Implementation of a Gestational Diabetes Virtual Care Clinic: A Before–After Comparative Study

Revue : Diabetes Therapy

Éditeur : Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Auteurs : Ciara Coveney; Shauna Callaghan; Eimear Rutter; Catherine Chambers; Joy Adekanmbi; Hannah Rooney; Ricardo Segurado; Mary F. Higgins; Mensud Hatunic