Gestational diabetes and its influence on the quality of life of pregnant women

Diabetes is the most common metabolic complication encountered during pregnancy. It usually subsides following the delivery, yet at the same time it constitutes a risk factor for the development of manifest diabetes later in life. The assessment of the quality of life of women suffering from gestational diabetes is aimed at gaining information on various areas of their functioning and the evaluation of the recommendations concerning care over and education of such patients. To assess the quality of life of women with gestational diabetes. The study was conducted between 15 January 2016 and 23 March 2016 in the Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology of the University Hospital in Krakow and in the Diabetology Clinic for Pregnant Women at the Department of Metabolic Diseases of the University Hospital in Krakow. Eighty-seven women suffering from diagnosed gestational diabetes formed the study group, of which 47 were treated with diet and 40 with diet and insulin. The diagnostic survey method was applied in the research. A SF-36v2 standardised questionnaire as well as a questionnaire prepared by the researcher were used to assess the quality of life. Most of the examined women assessed their life quality as good. The assessment of the quality of life varied depending on the type of therapy they received for gestational diabetes. A statistically significant difference with respect to social functioning (SF) was determined between the women treated with diet and insulin, and women treated exclusively with diet. Education and the value of BMI (body mass index) before pregnancy were factors affecting selected dimensions of the quality of life. The treatment method and, to a minor extent, some socio-demographic factors belong to the factors that may be considered prognostic for the quality of life in women suffering from gestational diabetes

Fungal contamination of ward furnishings and medical equipment used in the treatment and nursing of newborns

Introduction and objective. Newborn babies staying on hospital wards are likely to be colonized by microorganisms, including potentially pathogenic fungi. The aim of the study was to assess the mycological purity of hospital wards and medical equipment utilized in the treatment and nursing of newborns. Materials and method. The study was conducted in Neonatal High Dependency Units (NHDU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). 539 samples were collected from 24 different sources, 130 from ward furnishings and 289 from medical equipment. The study was carried out following the microbiology research methods for sample collection. Subsequently, the samples (swabs, water from incubators, washings from respirator tubes and nasal cannulas (nCPAP)) were cultivated on Sabouraud agar plates. The stamps were collected with the application of Count-Tact method. The samples were incubated at the temperature of 25+/-2oC and the number of fungi assessed (cfu/cm-2 of the surface area). The species were identified based on their morphological and biochemical features. Results. Fungal growth was observed on 60% of samples collected from ward furnishings and 7% of samples collected from medical equipment. The average number of cfu/cm-2 ranged between 0–8.84 in the case of ward furnishings and between 0–1.22 cfu/cm-2 in the case of medical equipment. In 180 samples collected from the material which had direct contact with newborns no fungal growth was observed. Conclusions. The furnishings of the wards on which newborns were treated and nursed were contaminated with fungi to an extent which did not pose a threat to the life and health of the newborns. Medical equipment (respirators, incubators, nCPAP cannulas and masks) which came into direct contact with newborns was free from fungi

Associations between physical activity, selected lifestyle factors, and quality of life during puerperium

Physical activity and a healthy lifestyle bring many benefits to the health of both mother and child and contribute to the improvement in the well-being of women. Regular exercise prevents depression and prepares the body for delivery and the puerperium, which is associated with significant changes in the quality of women's life. Aim of the study was to assess the impact of physical activity and selected lifestyle elements in pregnant women on their quality of life after birth. The study included 109 women after natural births and caesarean sections. The diagnostic survey method and questionnaire technique were used in the study. The author's questionnaire survey, the Quality of Life Questionnaire SF-36v2, and Ch. B. Corbin's Healthy Lifestyle Questionnaire were applied. The study showed that 85% of the women led unhealthy lifestyles, while 67% of the interviewees were physically active during pregnancy. Proper diet, ability to control stress, and adherence to the advice of doctors contributed to a better quality of life after birth. It was demonstrated that women giving natural birth had a significantly lower quality of mental life compared to women giving birth through caesarean section. A relationship was demonstrated between selected elements of healthy lifestyle in pregnancy and the quality of life after birth. In the group studied, it was the way the pregnancy ended which determined the quality of life of the women. No statistically significant effect of physical activity on the quality of life was determined