Postpartum Management of Gestational Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by either insufficiency in the use or the production of endogenous insulin for glucose metabolism. Today, gestational diabetes mellitus appears in approximately 1-14 % of the pregnant population. Mother’s surviving chance is 99.5 %. When glucose is controlled at an appropriate level prior to or during pregnancy the surviving chance of fetus is about 95-97 % in general population. In the postpartum period following gestational diabetes the aim of the nursing care should be to prevent development of complications in mother, to conclude pregnancy with a healthy newborn and to facilitate integration of family with the infant. Maintaining the glycemic control throughout the early postpartum period is essential. To maintain the normal glucose levels after delivery, nurses should provide consulting services in subjects such as, blood-glucose self-monitoring, planning an extensive meal, regular exercise, contraception, successful breastfeeding as well as oral hypoglycemic agents and/or insulin application. In women with gestational diabetes the risk for developing of type 2 diabetes mellitus within following 20 years is over 50 %. Therefore, the follow-up of women after gestational diabetes should last prolonged time. Nurses should induce families and the pregnant women with diabetes to work together, identify and resolve problems in an early term and provide training for women and families concerning therapy.