Continuity of carer during pregnancy for diabetic women

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the level of continuity of carer that women with type 1 diabetes received during pregnancy and the level of community midwifery involvement. The audit compares the maternity care of all women with type 1 diabetes having a singleton pregnancy during a 5-year period in Grampian with a matched comparison group. The findings suggest that the diabetic group received as good, if not better, continuity of carer and that the care was more hospital centred. Diabetic women had less involvement from their community midwife or GP. Evidence shows that local community care is important to women, helping to provide greater social support. Further exploration of women's views of specialised maternity care is required to determine whether women want the community midwife to be more involved in their care and if so how this can be achieved.