Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Management in the Antepartum Setting

The aim of the project is to develop a plan for consistent, evidence-based clinical management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using a multidisciplinary team approach in order to improve patient outcomes in the Birth Care Health Care setting. The goal is to assemble an algorithm of comprehensive care to assist clinicians in tracking and monitoring patients diagnosed with GDM. The algorithm was presented to Birth Care Health Care clinicians with the ultimate goal of adopting the algorithm for use in clinic practice. The incidence of diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. and globally. Concurrent to this growing epidemic is an increasing incidence of GDM. Gestational diabetes is strongly associated with increased mortality of both mothers and their fetuses. Diabetes education programs are being used and studied for the improvement of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), but few are directed specifically to the management of GDM. Pregnancy is an ideal time to educate mothers about therapeutic lifestyle changes that may reduce poor fetal and maternal outcomes during pregnancy, thereby potentially diminishing risk for developing T2DM for both mothers and their offspring later in life.