Discussion: Nonadherence to Lifestyle Changes During Pregnancy
After identifying potential health risks for pregnant patients, providers often recommend behavior changes in lifestyle choices such as drug use, alcohol consumption, dietary habits, and environmental exposures. Even with provider recommendations and patient education programs, some patients still struggle to adhere to recommended lifestyle changes during pregnancy, posing health risks for both the mother and child. In your role as the provider, you must be able to recognize signs of nonadherence to recommended lifestyle changes because not all patients will be forthcoming with the struggles they may be experiencing. Management plans are only successful if patients’ individual needs are recognized and met, so provider-patient collaboration is essential for mitigating nonadherence issues. For this Discussion, consider implications of nonadherence to recommended lifestyle changes and potential management strategies for pregnant patients.
To prepare:
- Review the “During Pregnancy” article in this week’s Learning Resources.
- Think about the health promotion topic that you selected for the Week 8 Discussion (i.e., smoking, drinking, taking drugs, eating habits, and caring for pets).
- With the topic you selected in mind, consider early signs and symptoms that might indicate a patient’s nonadherence to recommended lifestyle changes during pregnancy. Think about the impact of nonadherence on the fetus and the patient.
- Reflect on treatment and management strategies for patients presenting with signs and symptoms of nonadherence to recommended lifestyle changes.
Post an explanation of signs and symptoms that might indicate a pregnant patient’s nonadherence to recommended lifestyle changes related to the topic you selected. Explain the impact of nonadherence to these lifestyle recommendations on the fetus and the patient. Then, explain treatment and management strategies for patients presenting with signs and symptoms resulting from their nonadherence.
