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Sunday, September 26, 2010
Title: Diabetes During Pregnancy: The Maternal Experience
Discipline: Women’s Health (WH)
Learning Objectives:
Submission Description:- Increase knowledge of specific fears felt by women who had diabetes during pregnancy.
- Develop understanding of issues related to personal control that are experienced by women who have diabetes during pregnancy.
- Gain greater insight of the concerns and feelings of women who had diabetes during pregnancy.
Background: Diabetes during pregnancy is a complication that is increasing in the United States. Rates of pre-pregnancy diabetes in West Virginia, a primarily rural state, are higher than the national average. Poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy increases the risks, complications, and adverse outcomes for women and their infants. Diabetes during pregnancy also increases the risk of developing diabetes later in life for both mothers and infants. Little is known about the individual experience of women with diabetes during pregnancy.
Study Question: What is the experience of women who had diabetes during pregnancy inWest Virginia ?
Methods: Qualitative, mixed-methods design utilizing focus groups and individual telephone interviews with open-ended guiding questions for facilitation of group discussion. Focus groups were held at a university health sciences center and WIC clinic. Transcripts were coded independently by three researchers and themes were identified. Limitations of the study include complications with recruitment, small sample size, and the unique population studied potentially limiting generalization of findings.
Results: Triangulation of demographic data and themes from the focus group and interview discussions indicated maternal concerns and issues experienced during diabetic pregnancies. Three primary themes were identified: concern for the baby related to diabetes, concern for self related to diabetes, and sense of control. There were also subthemes for each of the primary themes.
Conclusions: The qualitative study gave voice to the women’s concerns about the effect of diabetes on their infants’ and their own health for the short and long-terms as well as a sense of lack of personal control over their health and the usurping of their control by others. The experiences shared by the women may serve to inform the development of interventions aimed at women with diabetes in pregnancy. By understanding the experience of women with diabetes in pregnancy, appropriate, culturally specific, interventions may be developed for the population addressing their need for increased personal feelings of control and support.
Study Question: What is the experience of women who had diabetes during pregnancy in
Methods: Qualitative, mixed-methods design utilizing focus groups and individual telephone interviews with open-ended guiding questions for facilitation of group discussion. Focus groups were held at a university health sciences center and WIC clinic. Transcripts were coded independently by three researchers and themes were identified. Limitations of the study include complications with recruitment, small sample size, and the unique population studied potentially limiting generalization of findings.
Results: Triangulation of demographic data and themes from the focus group and interview discussions indicated maternal concerns and issues experienced during diabetic pregnancies. Three primary themes were identified: concern for the baby related to diabetes, concern for self related to diabetes, and sense of control. There were also subthemes for each of the primary themes.
Conclusions: The qualitative study gave voice to the women’s concerns about the effect of diabetes on their infants’ and their own health for the short and long-terms as well as a sense of lack of personal control over their health and the usurping of their control by others. The experiences shared by the women may serve to inform the development of interventions aimed at women with diabetes in pregnancy. By understanding the experience of women with diabetes in pregnancy, appropriate, culturally specific, interventions may be developed for the population addressing their need for increased personal feelings of control and support.
