Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Course Overview

This Course is designed to provide up-to-date information on gestational diabetes (GDM) given several recent changes in management.

It will discuss predisposing factors for GDM, changes to treatment and diagnostic criteria, and how a diagnosis of GDM impacts subsequent pregnancies and ongoing health.

Topics

• Overview and risk factors
• Treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus
• Education and future implications

Need

Health professionals need to be aware of the prevalence of GDM and the symptoms of this disease in order to identify women who may be at risk. They must also be aware of the management of GDM, which aims to normalise maternal blood glucose levels as soon as possible, reduce foetal and maternal risks, and reduce the long-term risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Education that addresses this is timely in order to improve maternal outcomes

Purpose

The purpose of this Course is to provide up-to-date information focusing on the pathophysiology of hyperglycaemia during pregnancy and recent changes to the management of gestational diabetes (GDM).

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes (GDM)
• Describe the risk factors and diagnostic criteria
• Identify clinical targets and general management principles for antenatal, labour and postpartum care

Target Audience

This Course is most relevant to registered midwives, nurses and other health professionals currently or intending to work with pregnant women with or at risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus.

Disclosure

No conflict of interest exists for anyone in the position to control content for this activity. Wherever possible, generic or non-proprietary names of medications or products have been used.

Educator

Michelle Robins

Michelle Robins is a credentialed diabetes educator with 23 years of experience in many aspects of diabetes care and education. She is currently employed as a Nurse Practitioner by Northern Health. Her past employment, as a diabetes educator, has included major tertiary hospital settings, including St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Melbourne Division of General Practice, Melbourne Extended Care and Rehabilitation Service, and, in Queensland, Logan/Beaudesert Health Service. Michelle has served on more than 40 diabetes-related committees, written book chapters, and is consistently highly evaluated in her teaching role. See Educator Profile