Impact of Diet and Physical Activity Based Nurse Led Interventions on Maternal Outcome and Neonatal Outcomes in Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM): A Randomized Controlled Trial

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a growing concern in maternal health, often leading to complications like macrosomia and shoulder dystocia that affect neonatal outcomes. Poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles during pregnancy further worsen glycemic control in women with GDM. This study aims to evaluate the impact of structured nursing interventions focused on diet and physical activity on maternal blood sugar levels and neonatal outcomes, particularly macrosomia and shoulder dystocia. The research will test the hypothesis that diet and physical activity-based nursing interventions significantly improve glycemic control and reduce the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes compared to routine prenatal care. The main objectives are to assess changes in maternal fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels and to evaluate the incidence of macrosomia and shoulder dystocia in neonates. This randomized controlled study will be conducted among 66 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. Participants will be selected using purposive sampling and assigned to either the intervention group or control group using lottery methods. The intervention group will receive personalized nursing support, including diet education, physical activity guidance tailored for pregnancy, and regular follow-up, while the control group will continue with standard antenatal care. Maternal parameters such as fasting blood glucose, and HbA1c levels will be recorded at baseline and during follow-up visits.

Neonatal outcomes, including macrosomia, mode of delivery, and presence of shoulder dystocia, will be documented at delivery. All data will be collected by the researcher using structured data collection tools. Statistical analysis will be performed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics will summarize demographics and baseline data. Independent t-tests will compare glycaemic outcomes; chi-square tests will be used to compare neonatal outcomes. The anticipated outcome is that diet and physical activity-based nursing interventions will lead to improved maternal glycaemic control and significantly reduce neonatal complications. This study may offer evidence supporting the integration of structured nursing care into routine gestational diabetes mellitus management and this also contribute toward the betterment in terms of maternal and neonatal outcomes.