Metro

MWAN Embarks On Free Screening For Pregnant Women

The Medical  Women’s Association  of Nigeria (MWAN), Rivers State branch, in collaboration  with the Rivers State University  Teaching Hospital,   has  commenced  free screening  for pregnant  mothers in order to curb the negative  effects of Gestational Diabetes  Mellitus during and after child delivery.

The Project  Secretary, Dr. Omosivie Maduka,  a Consultant  Public Health Physician  said MW AN Rivers is ready to work with different sectors in health care delivery to ensure that universal  screening is carried out for pregnant women for early detection of hyperglycemia   in pregnancy.                           

She also urged pregnant  women, to present themselves for  screening so as to ensure quick  detection and treatment of hyperglycemia,  a deadly  disease that could lead to ill-health and loss of life of the mother and her offsprings.

“The essence of today’s  meeting was to bring health workers together  especially those working in tertiary hospitals  to have a conversation  about  gestational  diabetes within the context of collaboration and care. What has happened  is that physicians  from various  specialties have come together under one roof to have a discussion  on how we can collaborate to ensure that we put in place the systems to screen women  that come for antenatal so as ‘to detect those with hyperglycemia  for instance, elevated blood sugar level -during pregnancy  so that we can reduce the negative effect on the mother and child.”

“Many  people   might  not  know  but  excessive   blood  sugar  level  in pregnancy    is dangerous   for the mother   and  can  actually   lead  to the  death  of the  mother,   miscarriages,  may  cause  extremely   large babies who  may  not  survive   after  delivery. 

“Years down the  line, these  children can go  ahead  to develop   Diabetes.   MWAN  Rivers is  facilitating  this meeting in order to ensure that hyperglycemia  in pregnancy  is identified  and managed so that mother or baby is affected  negatively.”         

Also speaking at the event, Dr. Ibitrokoemi Korubo, a Consultant  Endocrinologist, explained that pregnant women suffering from hyperglycemia  tended to suffer miscarriages and all sorts of infections  during pregnancy.

“He said Our focus is on those who are not aware that they have Diabetes.  Some might not know they  have diabetes, there might not be any symptoms. Our  focus is also on those  that are having  diabetes for the first time in pregnancy.  This means that when these women are not pregnant,  they have no diabetes. It only shows up during pregnancy.”

Some other women might feel weak, and experience frequent urination  during the course of the pregnancy.  Some might notice they have recurrent infections,  while some may complain that they have miscarriages.  Some might  develop high blood pressure; pregnant women should be screened on blood sugar. Babies born to women with  this condition might be big, and have low sugar levels” he said.

One of the participants  at the event, Dr. Ndi Leziga, on his part commended  the organizers  of the event. He said that the collaboration  with MW AN will further ensure that doctors from different departments  put heads together to find a lasting solution to gestational  diabetes.

Our correspondent   reports that about 100 doctors and nurses from different departments  from the Rivers State University  Teaching Hospital were engaged by Medical Women Association  of Nigeria for the effective management  of hyperglycemia  in pregnancy.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Back to top button