Nutrition Education for Diabetes in Pregnancy
The UAMS Obstetrical Center for Management of Hyperglycemia in Pregnancy continues to provide diabetes care for pregnant women throughout the state of Arkansas. This program has maintained accreditation as an American Association of Diabetes Educators, Diabetes Education Accreditation Program for four consecutive years, which ensures that the diabetes education provided is in compliance with national Standards. Certified diabetes educators participate in the direct care of over 200 obstetric patients each year in Little Rock with additional patients receiving care and education via telemedicine.
Benefits of Diabetes Education
While obstetricians provide for overall patient care, diabetes educators empower patients to manage their diabetes. They teach, coach and guide patients so they understand how diabetes affects their pregnancy. Self-management skills such as monitoring blood glucose, interpreting the results, and adopting healthy eating habits are especially important for newly diagnosed gestational diabetes patients. Patients with pre-existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes learn how pregnancy affects their diabetes along with pregnancy-specific blood glucose targets and meal plans. Effective education can improve pregnancy outcomes and has the potential to decrease healthcare costs by decreasing hospital admissions.
WIN: Online Diabetes Education
Web-Based Instruction on Nutrition (WIN) is a series of three interactive education modules available to expectant mothers with diabetes:
- Introduction to Gestational Diabetes
- Management of Hyperglycemia in Pregnancy
- Preventing Type 2 Diabetes: Tips for Prevention and Management after Delivery
The online modules are available in English and Spanish at patientslearn.org. After completing a short registration process, women can work through each module at their own pace. Patients have the opportunity to get additional information by clicking on the Ask the Expert link which puts patients in touch with a High-Risk Pregnancy Program diabetes educator. These instructional modules can be used as stand-alone education or as a supplement and/or review of face-to-face teaching. This option is especially helpful to women living in rural areas of the state.
Telemedicine Consultations
Patients can receive individualized diabetes education via telemedicine if time or travel restrictions prohibit a drive to UAMS Health. This option for co-management ensures that patients receive the same high-quality care available in a face-to-face setting. Since 2015, telemedicine diabetes consultations have been delivered via interactive video to patients at several distance sites including several county health departments and regional health centers. To find out how patients can access diabetes education via telemedicine, please contact the High-Risk Pregnancy Program at 866-273-3835.
To access Web-Based Instruction on Nutrition (WIN), contact the UAMS High-Risk Pregnancy Program Call Center at 866-273-3835.