A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TWO METHODS OF DISCHARGE EDUCATION ON PREGNANCY OUTCOMES IN WOMEN WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Gestational diabetes is carbohydrate intolerance in a medical situation because it can lead to adverse outcomes of pregnancy. The childbirth can be risky, and because of adverse effects on mother and fetus more attention and training should be considered. Since one of the best ways to reduce complications, and to improve the quality of life in people with diabetes is education that does not cost a lot and is applicable to all patients; therefore, the aim of this study was to compare two methods of discharge education on pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes. This study is a clinical trial which includes 126 patients with gestational diabetes with gestational age of 28-36 weeks that were divided into 2 test groups and 1 control group. The first experimental group received 2 sessions of 40 minutes of training. The second experimental group received an instructional booklet, while the comparison group received routine hospital services. The data were collected by means of questionnaires. To complete the questionnaires, a telephone call was done one month after delivery. To analyze the data Fisher's exact test, Chi-square, ANOVA, and Kruskal Wallis tests were used. The groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic, obstetric and laboratory variables. A statistically meaningful difference was observed in the number of maternal readmission (P =0/002) and fifth minute Apgar infants (P=0/049). There was no statistically significant difference on the other variables. Discharge education, especially in patients with gestational diabetes can affect the knowledge of mothers, which it can in turn increase the mother's understanding of disease to control and hence to reduce hospital costs.