Gestational Diabetes Mellitus - Assignment Example

There has been growing debate on whether to adopt a universal screening or selective screening. ADA argues that selective screening will help in reducing the costs associated with screening, eliminating inconveniences associated with the process as well as lowering anxiety connected with diabetes.

Selective screening is to be based on family history of diabetes, age, obesity and racial alignment as such factors can easily establish the prevalence of diabetes. A number of ethical issues that must be taken into consideration before or during the screening process include how comfortable the patient is during the process, the laboratory costs associated with the screening and other risks factors such as missing the diagnosis after the process has been initiated. The cost implications of universal screening are very high and may limit the number of women who are able to undergo such tests.

Universal adoption of GDM will assist in the development of a database of various people in the world who have shown symptoms of the disease which will further help in the development of international initiatives and approaches aimed at controlling the condition. Professional nurses are charged with the responsibility of advocating for women to undergo screening. They encourage as well as support the adoption of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy (IADPSG) that has been recommended by the ADA in their various health institutions.

They further undergo adequate preparation so as take good care of women with GDM. The nurses offer prenatal care for women with diabetes so as to assist them to come up with thorough diabetes programs so as to facilitate the provision of better services (Ross, 2005). They approve referral of high-risk cases among women with GDM as well as conducting follow-up programs for women with a long history of GDM so as to ensure total eradication of the condition. The prenatal nurses normally advise pregnant women on the need to consider taking up tests for overt diabetes postpartum.

The nurses provide women with risk reduction strategies during the counselling process that are geared towards the elimination of type 2 diabetes which is the most prevalent form of diabetes among pregnant women. Such initiatives by the nurses will greatly improve the well-being of women who are at childbearing age.