Mei-Chen Su
Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Title: Self-management experiences of pregnant women with high risk of gestational diabetes mellitus
Biography
Biography: Mei-Chen Su
Abstract
Women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome in their later life. Infants of mothers with GDM are more susceptible to stillbirth and more serious health concerns. Understanding the beliefs of pregnant women who were at a high risk of GDM in regard to self-management is therefore critical to designing and implementing effective interventions. A qualitative design was applied in this study. Theoretical and snowball sampling techniques were used in this study. Pregnant women were eligible for the study if they had at least one of the following risk factors: (1) ages over 34 years; (2) BMI ≥24 kg/m2; (3) GDM or any signs of glucose intolerance; (4) had macrosomic newborn (≥ 4500 g) in any earlier pregnancy; (5) had family history of diabetes mellitus. The constant comparative method was used to inductively analyze the interview data. Thirteen pregnant women were at high risk of GDM participated in comprehensive interviews. The average age was 36.64 years; the average pre-pregnancy BMI was 27.76 kg/m2. They were between gestational weeks 26-39. The themes included: high risk and little knowledge, worried about fetal unhealthy, struggled to incorporate the dietary and exercise recommendations, learning new strategies; and need supportive information. These findings can guide healthcare professionals to provide appropriate interventions to understand the hidden health problems of this particular group of women.There is a pressing need to develop innovative outreach strategies and GDM high risk prevention programs to better reach these population.