Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Combined with Virtual Lifestyle Training on Glucose Control, Psychological Distress, and Neonatal Outcomes in Women with Gestational Diabetes
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Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a major health risk for both mother and fetus and is often associated with poor glycemic control and elevated psychological distress. Integrating cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with lifestyle education may improve maternal outcomes by addressing both behavioral and emotional factors. This study evaluated the effectiveness of CBT combined with virtual lifestyle training on blood glucose levels, psychological distress, and neonatal outcomes in women with GDM.
Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was employed. A total of 100 women with GDM and comorbid overweight and thyroid conditions were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to experimental (n = 50) and control (n = 50) groups. The intervention group received six weekly sessions of CBT alongside virtual healthy lifestyle training. Primary outcomes included fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance, depression (measured by EPDS), anxiety (measured by GAD-7), birth weight, and Apgar score. Data were analyzed using MANCOVA and ANCOVA.
Findings: The intervention led to significant improvements in fasting glucose (F= 157.6, p< .001, η² = 0.738), oral glucose tolerance (F= 56.1, p< .001, η² = 0.501), depression (F = 111.4, p< .001, η² = 0.662), and anxiety (F = 49.1, p< .001). Birth weight also improved significantly (t= 5.95, p< .001). No significant difference was found in Apgar scores between groups.
Conclusion: CBT integrated with virtual lifestyle intervention effectively improves glycemic control and emotional well-being in women with GDM. Its application in prenatal care could enhance maternal and neonatal outcomes.
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