What Complications Can Women Get from Gestational Diabetes?

The cause of Gestational diabetes (GDM) is unknown, but it can cause severe complications like pregnancy-induced hypertension, spontaneous abortion, secondary infections in pregnant women, and fetal malformations. Blood sugar, stillbirths, hyperbilirubinemia, and hypocalcemia are other problems that can occur because of GDM. The prognosis of GDM depends on the patient’s blood sugar levels, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and weight gain. That’s why it’s important to do effective blood glucose monitoring and control body mass index (BMI) and weight to improve outcomes.

What is an Instantaneous Scanning Glucose Monitoring System (ISGMS)?

The new instantaneous scanning glucose monitoring system (ISGMS) uses sensors worn on the outside of the arm. Each time the scanning detector is close to the sensor, the data will be transmitted to the scanning detector, which will display the current glucose level detected by the sensor, the glucose trend arrow, and the glucose levels in the last eight hours. Glucose data can also be automatically obtained and stored by the sensor every 15 minutes. The ISGMS can instantly generate a two-week glucose dynamic graph showing blood sugar fluctuations. This feature provides patients with accurate information and guidance that enables them to take appropriate measures like adjusting doses of hypoglycemic drugs, short-acting insulin, and modifying exercise and diet programs promptly to achieve stabilized blood sugar. Moreover, because there is no more need for fingertip blood sugar monitoring, patient compliance is likely to be better using this device.

The Study Method on the New Instantaneous Scanning Glucose Monitoring System for Gestational Diabetes

A total of 110 pregnant women with gestational diabetes were studied. The women were randomly and equally assigned into two groups. One group had their blood sugar monitored using fingertip blood glucose monitors, while the other had their blood sugar monitored using the ISGMS in combination with fingertip blood glucose monitors.

For those in the second group, an hour after switching the system on, a scan was done and the outcome compared with the patient’s fingertip blood sugar levels. After two days of wearing the sensor, the ISGMS values were again compared with the fingertip blood glucose results. If there was a difference of more than 1.0 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), the fingertip blood glucose level was considered the accurate measurement. Each day, the patients were required to scan the sensor every eight hours. They were instructed to record their medication, daily diet, exercise, and hypoglycemic events (when the ISGMS value is below 3.9 mmol/L) in a diary. The patients had to return for follow-up and interpretation of the values after discharge from the hospital.

The patient’s health behaviors, such as regular blood glucose monitoring, strict diet control, weight monitoring, appropriate exercise, and regular obstetric checkups, were evaluated during admission and two weeks after the intervention. These behaviors would be compared between the two groups.

The Results

Patients who used the ISGSM had a significantly lower incidence of hypoglycemia, a higher qualified rate of weight gain after giving birth, complied better with blood glucose monitoring, and showed superior health behaviors than those in the control group after two weeks of intervention.

The Conclusion

The use of ISGMS in patients with GDM improved compliance to blood glucose monitoring, improved health behaviors, reasonably controlled weight gain, and lessened the incidence of hypoglycemia.

Reference

The Effects of the Instantaneous Scanning Glucose Monitoring System on Hypoglycemia, Weight Gain, and Health Behaviors in Patients with Gestational Diabetes: A Randomized Trial