Gestational diabetes: a case-control study of women's experience of pregnancy, health and the child.

Women with previous gestational diabetes (n = 113) and controls (n = 226) were studied retrospectively by means of questionnaires. Women with gestational diabetes reported less well-being (p < 0.05), psychic health (p < 0.001) and vigour (p < 0.001) during pregnancy and a less positive experience of pregnancy (p < 0.001) than controls. They also recalled more worry about health during pregnancy than controls (p < 0.001), reported more physical health problems (p < 0.05), more worry about health (p < 0.05) and kept to a diet more often after pregnancy (women with gestational diabetes 34%, controls 13%, p < 0.001). Although most of the women in the groups were not troubled, it was clear that the gestational diabetes influenced their experience of health negatively but motivated them to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Initial treatment with insulin seemed to be slightly more stressful than diet only.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes