An increase in blood sugar that first appears during pregnancy but is not severe enough to be diagnosed as diabetes mellitus is called gestational diabetes. These are covert carbohydrate metabolism disorders that pose a risk of progressing to diabetes mellitus. The production of large amounts of steroid hormones is increased during pregnancy, which causes hormonal changes. Some of them, like cortisol and progesterone, have an important impact on cell receptors and raise insulin resistance in those receptors (Davidson et al., 2021). As a result, the pancreas must produce significantly more insulin, which raises blood glucose levels. When the pancreas’ capacity for compensating is insufficient, sugar metabolism spirals out of control, leading to the development of gestational diabetes.
I propose educating women and medical staff to prevent the occurrence of gestational diabetes in pregnancy. People should be aware that the first step in managing gestational diabetes is continuously checking their blood sugar levels. Using a portable blood glucose meter, women can perform it independently if they know the importance of it (Davidson et al., 2021). The main strategies include holding special training sessions for women and medical professionals and displaying informational posters about gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes symptoms appear in pregnant women during the first trimester, but they frequently go unnoticed due to their lack of awareness. Therefore, everybody should understand that monitoring blood glucose levels is crucial, beginning with the first positive pregnancy test.
The current state of gestational diabetes in pregnancy can be evaluated with the help of some information that qualitative research methods can offer. Qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing data from primary sources (Aspers & Corte, 2019). The most common qualitative research methods are focus groups and in-depth interviews. These studies will provide evidence and insights into the knowledge that medical professionals lack and the prejudices that are prevalent among the general public.
The research’s findings will undoubtedly shape my efforts to identify the precise points that should be emphasized during training planning. It will be necessary to conduct research in two directions: with medical professionals, pregnant women, and people planning to have a baby. Which course is prioritized—one about the causes of gestational diabetes, prevention, or treatment—will be determined by a focus group of health professionals. An in-depth interview will show the causes of the lack of understanding in some disease-related areas. The average level of public knowledge about gestational diabetes will be revealed by the same studies conducted with pregnant women and those who plan to become parents. An example of how effective the research can be is when the number of pregnant women with gestational diabetes has increased in a particular city. In this case, qualitative research must be done to comprehend what led to this situation. Fewer cases will result from this practice and help address the problem’s root.
In conclusion, gestational diabetes in pregnancy is a fairly common disease among women of all ages. Early detection of diabetes during pregnancy is possible, but medical professionals frequently overlook the condition and do not conduct testing. The same is true for women who mistake toxicosis for diabetes symptoms. Applying the custom of healthcare professionals and the general populace is required to remedy this situation. Conducting research with qualitative techniques, such as in-depth interviews and focus groups, is necessary to make training effective before it is planned.
References
Aspers, P., & Corte, U. (2019). What is Qualitative in Qualitative Research. Qualitative Sociology, 42(2), 139–160. Web.
Davidson, K. W., Barry, M. J., Mangione, C. M., Cabana, M., Caughey, A. B., Davis, E. M., Donahue, K. E., Doubeni, C. A., Kubik, M., Li, L., Ogedegbe, G., Pbert, L., Silverstein, M., Stevermer, J., Tseng, C. W., & Wong, J. B. (2021). Screening for Gestational Diabetes. JAMA, 326(6), 531. Web.