Outcomes Associated with Gestational Diabetes: A Literature Review

Abstract

Bringing another human into this world is seen as a right of passage for most women. Creating a child of your very own usually brings joy and bliss to a new mother. There are many reasons to be excited about pregnancy such as finding out the gender of the baby, picking out new baby clothes, and extending the family tree. Considering pregnancy is viewed as one of life’s happiest moments, mothers are often unaware of substantial negative health risks and problems it may have on the body and potentially, the rest of their lives. One of the most common problems is gestational diabetes mellitus, which affects approximately 5-7% of all pregnant women (Moncrieff, 2018). It is common that most women with GDM return to normal blood glucose levels after giving birth. However, healthy interventions should still be implemented throughout the woman and child’s lifetime to ensure other problems do not develop due to the initial diagnosis of gestational diabetes (Bone, 2015).