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Planning For A Healthier Birth And Beyond: Strategies Women Use To Manage Gestational Diabetes, Lois C. Hamel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gestational diabetes, the most frequent pregnancy complication in the United States, puts mother and infant at risk for serious medical problems that can have lifelong sequelae. Maternal glucose control is crucial to a successful pregnancy outcome and often requires the mother to follow a strict medical regimen. Authors of previous studies have described the experience of gestational diabetes as stressful, overwhelming, and anxiety producing; and an association between maternal stress and glucose control has been documented. Authors of nursing studies have found that repeating information and providing support are essential when working with gestational diabetes patients, whose learning ability is …