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.