Merlinda Aluş Tokat1, Muzafer Sancı2, Semra Girgeç3, Nur Gözde Kulhan4, Çiler Yeygel Özcan5. 1. Obstetric and Gynecologic Nursing Department, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Nursing, Izmir, Turkey. merlinda_alus@yahoo.com. 2. T.C Health Ministry Izmir Tepecik Maternity and Women Health Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. 3. Obstetric and Gynecologic Nursing Department, Izmir University School of Health, Izmir, Turkey. 4. Samsun Women and Child Hospital, Samsun, Turkey. 5. Konya Ticaret Odası Karatay University Scholl of Health Science, Izmir, Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have at least sevenfold increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes compared with non-GDM mothers. The risk can be decreased by self-care measures. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the postpartum education and lifestyle changes of Turkish women with previous GDM. METHOD: This was a retrospective descriptive epidemiological study. A total of 111 women who had given birth within the previous 3-4 years were interviewed by telephone between December 2013 and April 2014. RESULTS: The 83.8% of the women with GDM had not received education related to exercise, while 40.5% received no education regarding the importance of diet. More importantly, while 68.5% had been informed about testing blood glucose levels postpartum, a large majority, 69.3%, did not know for how long they would have had to continue testing their glucose levels. However, 31.3% of those who monitored their glucose levels had glucose intolerance. In terms of lifestyle changes, less than half of the women, 48.6%, had made changes in their diet and the majority, 51.4%, were inactive. CONCLUSION: Women need access to sustained education and supportive counselling both to motivate and to minimize the risk of type 2 diabetes after GDM.
BACKGROUND:Women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have at least sevenfold increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes compared with non-GDM mothers. The risk can be decreased by self-care measures. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the postpartum education and lifestyle changes of Turkish women with previous GDM. METHOD: This was a retrospective descriptive epidemiological study. A total of 111 women who had given birth within the previous 3-4 years were interviewed by telephone between December 2013 and April 2014. RESULTS: The 83.8% of the women with GDM had not received education related to exercise, while 40.5% received no education regarding the importance of diet. More importantly, while 68.5% had been informed about testing blood glucose levels postpartum, a large majority, 69.3%, did not know for how long they would have had to continue testing their glucose levels. However, 31.3% of those who monitored their glucose levels had glucose intolerance. In terms of lifestyle changes, less than half of the women, 48.6%, had made changes in their diet and the majority, 51.4%, were inactive. CONCLUSION:Women need access to sustained education and supportive counselling both to motivate and to minimize the risk of type 2 diabetes after GDM.
Authors: Hashem Salarzadeh Jenatabadi; Nadia Samsudin; Che Wan Jasimah Bt Wan Mohamed Radzi Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2021-01-27 Impact factor: 3.295