Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with many maternal and foetal complications. Many of these complications can be prevented by controlling the blood sugar level. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive nursing intervention package (CNIP) which focus on improving the self-care abilities of women with GDM on the glycemic control.  Materials and methods: The study used a pretest-posttest control group design. Eighty women with GDM, at 24-32 weeks of gestation, attending a tertiary care university teaching hospital in South India were randomized to experimental and control group (40 each). FBS, PPBS and insulin dose measured before the intervention, at two weeks, in the week prior to delivery, third postnatal day and six weeks postpartum were compared between experimental and control group using t-test. Results: The PPBS level and insulin dose of the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001) in the week prior to delivery.  The mean gain in insulin dose from pretest to the week prior to delivery was significantly lower in the experimental group than the control group (4.25+/-5.3 vs. 13.6+/-7, t(78)=6.7; p<0.001).The frequency of hypoglycemia during pregnancy [2 (5%) vs. 9 (22.5%); p<0.05] were also lower in the experimental group than the control group. Conclusion: The findings of the study are suggestive of the effectiveness of CNIP in improving the glycemic control of women with GDM. Nursing interventions focusing on enhancing self-care will be cost- ffective approach as it may be beneficial in reducing the need for insulin in women with GDM.  

 

Key words: Comprehensive Nursing Intervention Package; Gestational Diabetes Mellitus; Glycemic Control; Insulin Dose.