Gestational diabetes
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
OB / Newbornmedium priorityneeds review
Gestational diabetes
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Pregnancy hormones increase insulin resistance.
- Maternal hyperglycemia increases fetal insulin response and growth/metabolic risks.
Medications
| Class | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Insulins | May be used if diet/exercise are insufficient. |
Nursing actions
- Teach glucose monitoring, meal planning, and fetal movement awareness.
- Monitor for hypoglycemia if medication is used.
- Prepare newborn glucose monitoring after birth.
Complications
- Macrosomia
- Shoulder dystocia
- Neonatal hypoglycemia
- Preeclampsia
NCLEX cues
- Baby may be large but become hypoglycemic after birth.
- Diet teaching and glucose logs.
Memory hooks
- Mom high sugar makes baby high insulin.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Trend assessment findings and ordered diagnostics; verify exact values with school source material.
Review notes
- Session-derived study seed. Verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy before relying on details.