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In Cuba the prevalence of perinatal mortality and congenital malformations is 7% and 9%, respectively, in children of women with diabetes.
These high prevalence rates could be avoided if the women received treatment before their pregnancy. Therefore, there is a need to ensure the appropriate health care to pregnant women with diabetes.
Objective
To improve the medical and obstetrics attention to pregnant women with diabetes.
Approach
Optimal attention to pregnant women with diabetes is a priority at the Ministry of Public Health and is one of the priority tasks of the National Programme for Maternity and Infant Care in Cuba.
The project seeks to ensure the appropriate health care to pregnant women with diabetes by completing and modernising the National Diabetes and Pregnancy Service Network in Cuba so that optimal care is offered to pregnant women in all provincial capitals of the country.
In total, 6 existing service centres for diabetes and pregnancy are to be modernised and 12 new service centres will be established, complete with staff, scientific and technical equipment.
Based on the National Programme of Care to the Diabetic Pregnant Women, the activities will be carried out step by step. During the first year, equipment for 4 currently operating centres in Havana will be upgraded. Moreover, 4 new centres in the area of Havana, Pinar del Rio and Matanzas are created.
In the second year, the centre in Camagüey will be upgraded and centres in Villa Clara, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spriritus and Cienfuegos are established.
In the final year of the project, the services of Santiago de Cuba will be modernised and services in Holguin, Las Tunas, Granma and Guantanamo will be created.
The project also includes an educational focus. Hence, popular education materials about diabetes and pregnancy will be generated and available for national distribution.
It is expected that having the specialised services will ease the continuous education of health and technical personnel at the hospitals, as well as that of the patients and their relatives.
Expected impact
- Improved quality of care to around 9,400 pregnant women each year, totalling 28,200
- A decrease in the number of perinatal deaths from 7% to 1,2% for children of women with diabetes
- Reduction of congenital malformations from 9% to 2,5% in children delivered by women with diabetes
- Increase screening and detection of gestational diabetes to 95% of pregnancies
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