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. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-five women with prestational 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. CONCLUSION: 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.