A retrospective analysis of perinatal outcomes in mothers with gestational diabetes and their newborns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland.

Objectives: The global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus resulted in a deterioration of access to healthcare services, with the increased utilization of telemedicine. The global pandemic has also had a significant impact on women's experiences of maternity care, which may have affected gestational diabetes perinatal outcomes, which are associated with the glycemic control of the mother. The objective of this study was to present and compare the results of maternal and neonatal perinatal outcomes in pregnancies affected by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the years preceding and during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Material and methods: The study was conducted as a retrospectively analyzed cohort study of neonates born from pregnancies complicated with GDM and their mothers born at gestational age of at least 34 + 0/7 weeks. The detailed analysis encompassed both neonatal and maternal perinatal outcomes. The patients' feedback was obtained regarding the availability of necessary consultations and the quality of care provided.

Results: There was a notable decline in breastfeeding rates (p < 0.05). Few other perinatal outcomes differed between the years 2017-2019 and 2020-2021.

Conclusions: The degree of maternal glycemic control, the quality of medical care provided, and the effectiveness of maternal treatment constitute crucial factors influencing maternal and neonatal outcomes, as well as breastfeeding rates.