The smart way to manage diabetes in pregnancy.

The Many Barriers to Consistent Glucose Logging

For people managing gestational diabetes (GDM), consistency is important, but it’s also one of the hardest things to achieve. Patients are asked to check their blood sugar four times a day, record every reading, and adjust their meals and activity accordingly.

For some, the challenge is geography. For example, in a recent interview, Dr. Kelecha pointed out that there are only about five counties in Kansas that have an OBGYN. This means the rest have to drive, sometimes hours, to be seen regularly. 

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And distance isn’t the only barrier. Many patients balance demanding jobs, childcare, and unpredictable schedules. Some can’t consistently test an hour after meals because they’re on their feet all day. Others may struggle with manual logging, juggling meters, strips, and paper notebooks between meals. Add in the stress of pregnancy itself, and even highly motivated patients can fall behind.

All of these realities add up to missed data. And without reliable glucose readings, providers are left to make important treatment decisions with an incomplete picture.

From Paper Logs to Real-Time Insights

Traditionally, gestational diabetes care has relied on patients manually entering results into paper logs or basic apps, which are then reviewed at each appointment. For those who live far from a clinic, those check-ins may only happen every few weeks.

That delay can make timely adjustments (starting insulin, or fine-tuning a meal plan) much harder. Not only that, but if providers don’t have access to logs before an appointment, much of the patient’s valuable time with her physician is eaten up with data review. 

Manually calculating time-in-range from paper logs is a heavy lift,” Dr. Kelecha explains. “There’s a lot of frustration on [providers’] part, because they want to do the right thing but can’t see the data.”

Modern tools like connected glucose meters, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), and remote patient monitoring (RPM) platforms are helping close that gap. These technologies automatically share glucose readings with care teams, so providers can see trends in real time rather than waiting for the next in-person visit.

Remote Patient Monitoring: Catching OB Up with the Rest of Medicine

Obstetrics has been historically underserved by new technology, which was verified in a recent study. Remote patient monitoring has been common in cardiology, endocrinology, and primary care for years, but obstetrics is only now finally catching up.

When implemented thoughtfully, RPM can reduce the need for frequent in-person visits while still maintaining, or even improving, safety. Providers can spot out-of-range trends earlier, and patients can get timely adjustments through secure messaging or virtual check-ins.

In one study, Song et al. found that digital glucose reporting significantly improved adherence and glycemic control for women with GDM. Similarly, Chai et al. showed that integrating CGMs with remote monitoring can lead to better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction compared with standard care.

Making Life Easier for Both Patients and Providers

The benefits go beyond clinical outcomes. Patients often describe a sense of relief when they no longer have to remember to log every reading or worry about losing their notebook. Automated data sharing also helps reduce anxiety. For patients, if numbers creep up, their care team will notice and reach out.

For clinicians, remote dashboards automatically calculate averages and time-in-range, eliminating the tedious task of combing through logs. This means providers have more time for meaningful discussions like nutrition, sleep, and mental health, instead of doing data cleanup.

Dr. Kelecha notes that this shift “it allows us to facilitate a more precise and timely therapeutic adjustments for them, and I think that is great from the perspective of what we can offer the patient.” And when both sides have visibility, communication improves dramatically.

For patients, while distance and access remain major issues in maternal health, RPM shows that care doesn’t always have to be bound by geography. For a pregnant patient in a rural area, or a teacher who can’t easily test at work, these tools mean they can stay connected and supported between visits.

Technology doesn’t erase the structural challenges that exist in healthcare — but it can help bridge them.

As Dr. Kelecha says: All patients deserve the standard of care. And implementing solutions such as telemedicine for gestational diabetes, coupled with continuous glucose monitoring, can not only give them the care that they need, but give them the care that they deserve. 

The Road Ahead

Remote patient monitoring isn’t a replacement for prenatal visits, it’s a complement that makes care more equitable and responsive. 

While insurance coverage and device access still vary, adoption is accelerating, and the benefits are clear: fewer missed opportunities for intervention, less administrative burden, and better patient engagement.

Obstetrics is catching up, and it’s going to make pregnancy care more accessible, more human, and more effective.