Nursing interventions in the management of gestational diabetes in prenatal care patients

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common pregnancy complications with an increasing growing health concern with a significant public health and clinical problems. Other types of commonly known include type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has important health implications for both the mother and child. Risks factors include family history of diabetes, advanced maternal age, ethnicity, overweight, smoking cigarette, previous history of GDM, diet and lifestyle factors both before and during pregnancy. GDM complications affect the mother, foetus/baby and infants. It can be short-term or long-term. This descriptive literature review discusses the various kinds of nursing interventions used in the management of gestational diabetes in prenatal care patients. The databases use for the search is PubMed and CINAHL.

In the epilogue, the earlier the nurses intervene, the more time they will have to help the mother maintain normal blood glucose levels and create a healthier uterus leading to a better or positive outcome. Nurses inventions include; lifestyle changes for example dietary modification and increased physical activities during pregnancy, education and counseling for example impacting knowledge that leads to a healthy life for women with gestational diabetes, nutrition therapy for example controlling or selecting the food types we eat, support/encouragement and e-health for example nurses should devise means of dealing with these patients in ways that will be encourage feel comfortable and hopeful while undergoing treatments. This can also be done with use of e-health technologies. Nurses should put into consideration nationality and cultural differences when taking care of pregnant women Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) for an effective management.