Injection Ports vs Single-Use Needles for Insulin in Pregnancy: Effects on Adherence and Satisfaction

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Gestatiaonl Diabetes Mellitus; Insulin; Diabetes in Pregnancy; Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; Pregnancy

Treatments: Device: Injection Port for Insulin Administration; Device: Single-Use Insulin Needles

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07165327

STUDY00007824

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study wants to find out if using an injection port to give insulin during pregnancy helps people take their insulin more regularly and feel better about their care.

When someone has diabetes during pregnancy, it's very important to keep their blood sugar levels in a healthy range. This usually means checking blood sugar often and giving insulin through shots. But giving many shots each day can be hard and uncomfortable.

An injection port is a small device placed on the skin that lets patients give insulin through the same spot without poking themselves each time. This may make taking insulin easier and less painful.

Feeling comfortable with how insulin is given may help people stick to their treatment plan and have better health during pregnancy. Injection ports have already helped other patients, including pregnant people who needed other medications, but they haven't been studied for insulin use during pregnancy. This study will look at how pregnant patients with diabetes feel about using injection ports for insulin.

Full description

Diabetes management during pregnancy is crucial for both maternal and fetal health, requiring frequent blood glucose monitoring and insulin administration. Traditional methods of insulin injection involve up to 5 insulin injections per day. These methods, while effective, can be burdensome, and many patients desire to avoid frequent injections.

Injection ports are small, single-use, prescription medical devices designed to simplify insulin or other subcutaneous medication delivery. They consist of a soft cannula that sits under the skin for up to 72 hours and a resealable septum through which multiple injections can be administered without repeated needle sticks. The I-port is an injection port that is FDA approved for use in the United States, but is rarely used in clinical practice, largely because it is not typically covered by insurance.

Given the importance of management of diabetes throughout pregnancy, patient satisfaction with insulin delivery methods may play a significant role in treatment adherence and overall health outcomes. The use of injection ports has been shown to improve patient satisfaction in pregnant patients requiring heparin administration in pregnancy, as well as improve patient experiences for insulin administration in non-pregnant populations. However, there are no studies that have evaluated the use of injection ports for insulin administration in pregnancy. This study aims to assess patient satisfaction with the use of injection ports for insulin administration among pregnant patients with diabetes.

Enrollment: 44 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes who require a multi-dose insulin regimen

Exclusion criteria

• T1DM, primary language non-English or Spanish, use of an insulin pump

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

44 participants in 2 patient groups

Injection port

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will administer all prescribed insulin doses using an injection port device for two weeks. The port will be inserted and replaced according to manufacturer instructions, typically every 3 days. Insulin will be delivered through the port using standard syringes or insulin pens, eliminating the need for multiple daily needle sticks. Participants will continue routine glucose monitoring as directed by their clinical care team.

Treatment:

Device: Injection Port for Insulin Administration

Single-use insulin needles

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this arm will administer all prescribed insulin doses using standard single-use disposable needles for two weeks. Each injection will require a new sterile needle, consistent with routine clinical practice for insulin delivery in pregnancy. Participants will continue routine glucose monitoring as directed by their clinical care team.

Treatment:

Device: Single-Use Insulin Needles