Abstract
Aims To estimate the costs associated with universal screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in Ireland.
Methods Bottom-up, prevalence-based cost analysis. Healthcare activity identified using the Atlantic Diabetes in Pregnancy
(ATLANTIC DIP) database was grouped into five categories: screening and testing, gestational diabetes treatment, prenatal
care, delivery care and neonatal care. A vector of unit cost data (euros in 2008 prices) was applied to specified resource use and
the total healthcare cost calculated. A series of one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken to explore the
uncertainty in the analysis.
Results When individual resource componentswere valued and aggregated, the total healthcare cost of gestational diabetes in
Ireland was estimated at 12 433 320 (95% CI 9 298 22816 778 193). The average cost per case detected was 1621
(95% CI 5242603) and the average total cost per case detected and treated was 11 903 (95% CI 764516 121).
Conclusions This research provides the first estimates of the healthcare costs associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in
Ireland. Further research is required to determine the cost-effectiveness of gestational diabetes screening in the region with a view
to improving resource allocation in this area in the future.
Diabet. Med. 28, 912918 (2011)
Keywords cost analysis, gestational diabetes mellitus
Abbreviations ACHOIS, Australian Carbohydrate Intolerance in Pregnant Women; ATLANTIC DIP, Atlantic
Diabetes in Pregnancy