Healthcare Expenditure Costs of Women with GDM and Their Children

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects approximately 20% of women in Singapore and poses a significant healthcare burden to the individual and the nation. Without adequate management, GDM can lead to adverse health and birth outcomes, including pre-eclampsia, development of Type 2 diabetes and pre-term birth. Women with GDM also often experience comorbid mental health disorders. GDM can have long-term adverse impact on child’s health, including development of metabolic diseases, allergy and infections. Together, GDM and its associated health conditions translate into high healthcare costs for the mother-child pairs, yet no study has evaluated the short-term and long-term related healthcare expenditure related to GDM in Singapore.

We hypothesise that mother-child pairs with a history of GDM are at increased risk for diseases in the long-term leading to higher healthcare expenditure. We also hypothesise that women who had GDM have increased risk of developing mental disorders. Our findings will provide health-care providers information on the association between GDM and mental illness, which would help them to appropriately screen and treat both disorders. Strategies can be formulated for closer follow up of women with GDM and their children to result in better health outcomes.