Care cost for pregnant and parturient women with diabetes and mild hyperglycemia

• Main Authors: Ana Claudia Molina Cavassini, Silvana Andrea Molina Lima, Iracema Mattos Paranhos Calderon, Marilza Vieira Cunha Rudge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo
• Series: Revista de Saúde Pública
• Subjects: gestantes; hiperglicemia; diabetes gestacional; custos de cuidados de saúde; assistência perinatal; período pós-parto
• Online Access: http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-89102012000200016&lng=en&tlng=en
• ISSN: 0034-8910; 1518-8787

OBJECTIVE: To compare inpatient and outpatient care costs for pregnant/parturient women with diabetes and mild hyperglycemia. METHODS: A prospective observational quantitative study was conducted in the Perinatal Diabetes Center in the city of Botucatu, Southeastern Brazil, between 2007 and 2008. Direct and indirect costs and disease-specific costs (medications and tests) were estimated. Thirty diet-treated pregnant women with diabetes were followed up on an outpatient basis, and 20 who required insulin therapy were hospitalized. RESULTS: The cost of diabetes disease (prenatal and delivery care) was US$ 3,311.84 for inpatients and US$ 1,366.04 for outpatients. CONCLUSIONS: Direct and indirect costs as well as total prenatal care cost were higher for diabetic inpatients while delivery care costs and delivery-postpartum hospitalization were similar. Prenatal and delivery-postpartum care costs were higher for these patients compared to those paid by Brazilian National Health System.