Improving Birth Outcomes in Gestational Diabetes
The birth outcomes of newborns and women after management through a Midwifery-Led Gestational Diabetes Clinic
Armadale Hospital
Funding: $19,988
Coordinating Principal Investigator: Ms Jane-Anne Gardner
Co-Investigators: Ms Melanie Flynn, Ms Melanie Irving
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a type of diabetes that develops only during pregnancy and affects an increasing number of women each year. Without appropriate care, it can lead to serious complications for both mother and baby, including a higher chance of the child developing diabetes in childhood which can add potential impacts on health services in the future.
At Armadale Health Service, a new approach is changing how GDM is managed. The Myrtle Midwifery Antenatal and Postnatal Service (MAPS) has introduced Western Australia’s first midwifery-led clinic for gestational diabetes treatment.Keeping women local to their family friends and community, instead of fragmented care across multiple services. Women receive consistent, personalised and culturally sensitive support from a known midwife and diabetes educators throughout their pregnancy. This includes education, what high glucose levels means to mum and baby and how they can change their lifestyle to help, other treatments of GDM, and coordination with specialist teams as needed.
This research project will evaluate how well this innovative model of care is working. It will examine important outcomes such as the health of mothers and newborns, how quickly women receive education after diagnosis, how often they attend appointments, and whether they need additional treatments like insulin. Women who have used the service will also be invited to share their experiences, ensuring their voices help shape future improvements.
This work is especially important at Armadale Hospital, where rates of gestational diabetes has been identified as the highest in Western Australia, and where many families face additional barriers to accessing care.
The findings will help identify what is working well and where improvements could be made. This will support safe women centred care and improve pregnancy outcomes. This will also help ensure the viability of the service and possibly reduce the transgenerational impact of gestational diabetes.
Improving Birth Outcomes in Gestational Diabetes
The birth outcomes of newborns and women after management through a Midwifery-Led Gestational Diabetes Clinic
Armadale Hospital
Funding: $19,988
Coordinating Principal Investigator: Ms Jane-Anne Gardner
Co-Investigators: Ms Melanie Flynn, Ms Melanie Irving
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a type of diabetes that develops only during pregnancy and affects an increasing number of women each year. Without appropriate care, it can lead to serious complications for both mother and baby, including a higher chance of the child developing diabetes in childhood which can add potential impacts on health services in the future.
At Armadale Health Service, a new approach is changing how GDM is managed. The Myrtle Midwifery Antenatal and Postnatal Service (MAPS) has introduced Western Australia’s first midwifery-led clinic for gestational diabetes treatment.Keeping women local to their family friends and community, instead of fragmented care across multiple services. Women receive consistent, personalised and culturally sensitive support from a known midwife and diabetes educators throughout their pregnancy. This includes education, what high glucose levels means to mum and baby and how they can change their lifestyle to help, other treatments of GDM, and coordination with specialist teams as needed.
This research project will evaluate how well this innovative model of care is working. It will examine important outcomes such as the health of mothers and newborns, how quickly women receive education after diagnosis, how often they attend appointments, and whether they need additional treatments like insulin. Women who have used the service will also be invited to share their experiences, ensuring their voices help shape future improvements.
This work is especially important at Armadale Hospital, where rates of gestational diabetes has been identified as the highest in Western Australia, and where many families face additional barriers to accessing care.
The findings will help identify what is working well and where improvements could be made. This will support safe women centred care and improve pregnancy outcomes. This will also help ensure the viability of the service and possibly reduce the transgenerational impact of gestational diabetes.