Improving Health Services for Diabetic Pregnant Women who are Attending Governmental Clinics in Nablus and Jenin Districts

Diabetes is often detected in women during their childbearing years and can affect the health of both the mother and her baby. Poor control of diabetes in a pregnant woman increases the chances for birth defects and other problems for the baby. It might also cause serious complications for the woman. Proper health care, before and during pregnancy, will help prevent birth defects and other poor outcomes, such as miscarriage and stillbirth. The risk factors, associated with diabetes during the childbearing age among women in Nablus and Jenin district, were studied in addition to the complications facing both the woman and her baby. The researcher also assessed women's knowledge about diabetes. A random sample of 200 diabetic pregnant women was chosen, of these, 117 of women, included in the sample had developed gestational diabetes, another 38 had pre-gestational diabetes (Type 1) and another 45 had pre-gestational diabetes (Type 2). Data were collected for the purpose of filling the questionnaires using the files available at the health clinics. Data included personal information, obstetric history information and medical information. All data of the questionnaire for 200 subjects were entered into the computer and computed using SPSS program. After data collection and analysis, it was found that, according to BMI: 15.8% of women who had pre-gestational diabetes (Type 1) were overweight, and 15.8% were obese. The results according to age of onset were : about 10.5% of them (the age of onset) were between 5-15, 63.2% of them (the age of onset) were between 15.1-25, 21.1% of them (the age of onset) were between 25.1-35 and 5.3% of them (the age of onset) was more than 35. Pertaining to family history of diabetes, 71.1% of them had first degree relatives. In contrast, according to BMI, of all women who had pre gestational diabetes (Type2), 40% of them were overweight, 42.2% were obese and 6.7% had morbid obesity. According to age of onset, 8.9% of them (the age of onset) were between 15.1-25, 66.7% of them (the age of onset) were between 25.1-35 and 24.4% of them (the age of onset) were more than 35 years old. Pertaining to family history of diabetes, 88.9% of them had first degree relatives. Also, it was found that 27.4% of women who had gestational diabetes were overweight, 39.3% were obese and 7.7% had morbid obesity.According to age of onset, 15.4% of them (the age of onset) were between 15.1-25, 41.0% of them (the age of onset) were between 25.1-35, and 43.6% of them (the age of onset) were more than 35 years old. Concerning family history of diabetes, 76.1% of them had first degree relatives.