Summary:
A 30-year-old woman started to feel tired and irritable all the time. She had received a diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during her pregnancy two years ago, but her blood sugars returned to normal postpartum. The present fatigue, depression and weight gain were recent developments. Her physician ordered labs, and serum glucose revealed she had progressed to type 2 diabetes. After a diabetic specialist started her on the oral antidiabetic medication glyburide (Micronase), the woman started to feel better and in a few months was pregnant with her second child. This patient’s case is significant, as she represents the 35% to 60% of women who develop diabetes within 10 years of manifesting GDM.
Objectives:
The goal of this module is to provide lab professionals with the basic guidelines in the clinical diagnosis and management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) patients. After studying the information presented here, you will be able to:
- List risk factors for developing GDM.
- Name lab tests and normal values to identify and guide diagnosis and treatment of GDM.
- List the four main points of managing care for the patient with GDM.
Level of Instruction: Basic
Approval Information
This course is designed for laboratory professionals.
Gannett Education is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) Professional Acknowledgment for Continuing Education (P.A.C.E..®) Program (provider #249).
249-467-12 "Uncovering Gestational Diabetes for the Health of Mother and Child " is approved 04-20-2012 to 04-20-2014.
Gannett Education is also approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Laboratory Personnel (provider #FBN 50-1489).