TELE-MEDICINE VERSUS TRADITIONAL FOLLOW-UP FOR EVALUATION OF MATERNAL AND FETAL OUTCOMES IN GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS

Patients diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) were welcomed to join the study after an explanation was conducted to all participants. Then they were randomized and classified into telemonitoring (Group 1) and the traditional (Group 2) using the randomization protocol. Pregnant women who had type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus, were excluded from the current project. The women in Group 1 were provided with a telemonitoring device. The daily blood sugar was monitored by using of telemedicine device. Additionally, weight management and structured dietary advice were regularly followed up by using an application of the telemonitoring system. IBM SPSS statics software was used for the descriptive statistical analysis of the data. During the study period of 18-20 weeks throughout pregnancy and postdelivery, almost 50 patients with GDM were followed up either by telemonitoring (Group 1; n=24) or traditionally (Group 2; n=26). Almost 45.8 % of GDM women who used the telemonitoring system had healthier pregnancies without any complications as compared to 30.8 %. of GDM women who did not use telemedicine. The other associated antenatal complications included pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and hypothyroidism were more frequent in Group 2 than Group 1. Most of the babies delivered to women at group 1 were full-term (66.7%), and only (12.5 %) of them were preterm. However, in the traditional group, (53.8 %) of babies were born at full term, and (15.4 %) of them were preterm, beside one was intrauterine fetal death. Generally, maternal and fetal outcomes as a result of the telemonitoring were more efficient than the traditional follow-up.