A study from Sahlgrenska Academy reports that nine out of ten early pregnant women with diabetes say they are in good health.
About 500 women with type 1 diabetes give birth in Sweden each year, equivalent to about half a percent of all births. Type 1 diabetes results in increased risks in relation to childbearing, primarily due to high blood glucose levels in the pregnant woman. There is an increased risk of congenital disorders, to accelerated fetal growth and to neonatal complications. The women have higher risk for pre-eclampsia. The best action to minimise the risks is for the women to keep their blood sugar levels in an as near normal blood glucose level as possible.
The study is the first in Sweden focusing well-being and ability to manage diabetes in early pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes. In this study a total of 168 women took part from six different special antenatal care units in Sweden.
“Happily, the women felt better than expected. Of the 168 participating women 87.5% estimated their health as good, very good or excellent. Well-being was estimated as moderate, and the ability to manage their diabetes in daily life was estimated as relatively high. The stress level that can be related to their disease was low, says Karolina Lindén, who is a nurse-midwife and doctoral student in the study which is run at Institute of Health and Care Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, the University of Gothenburg.
“Women with type 1 diabetes have difficult pregnancies with a lot of concern for the child and the constant struggle to achieve normal blood glucose levels and thus minimize the risks. Frequent glucose monitoring, adjustments in insulin doses, and healthy diets require a lot of effort,” says Professor Marie Berg, who is principal investigator of the research project investigating how web-based support to women with type 1 diabetes can promote well-being and ability to manage their diabetes in pregnancy and early motherhood.
“Pregnant women with type 1 diabetes experience significant worry and a 24/7 struggle towards reaching normo glycaemia. They need to be supported by health care professionals in their vulnerable situation to maintaining a high level of well-being for the rest of the pregnancy. Hopefully we’ll learn more about this in our future studies,” says Karolina Lindén and Marie Berg.
Facts: Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and means that the body’s own immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Insulin is necessary for the ability of the body’s cells to absorb glucose in the blood, and without insulin, muscles have no energy to do their work. A person with type 1 diabetes must therefore take insulin injections or use an insulin pump.
The article Well-Being and Diabetes Management in Early Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
