Evaluating the efficacy and acceptability of a digital-based management system for diabetes during pregnancy: protocol for an observational cohort study.

Abstract

Diabetes during pregnancy poses significant health risks for both mothers and their offspring and requires comprehensive management throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. The increasing global prevalence of diabetes during pregnancy requires effective and efficient management. The current healthcare system can be challenging because of need for frequent hospital visits and limited availability of gestational diabetes (GDM) specialists.This study investigates the impact of a digital-based management system designed to support women with diabetes from pregnancy through the first year post partum. This system includes a mobile application (MomStart) that allows users to log health data, receive tailored educational content and communicate with healthcare providers. The primary objective of this study is to compare pregnancy outcomes with historical data. We will also investigate the usability of the MomStart application. The study will enrol over 100 pregnant women with diabetes from two hospitals in South Korea for the main study and an additional 500 women from across the country for a supplementary usability study. Data will be collected and analysed to assess neonatal and maternal outcomes and the app's retention and satisfaction rates. The protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Catholic University of Korea (XC23OIDI0012). We will present our findings in a national conference and in peer-reviewed medical journals. This study was registered in Korea's Clinical Research Information Service system (KCT0008483).