Women's experiences with managing advice on gestational diabetes - a qualitative interview study

Area of Science:

• Perinatal health
• Maternal-fetal medicine
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requires significant lifestyle modifications for affected women.
• Understanding women's lived experiences is crucial for effective GDM management and support.
• Current healthcare approaches may not fully address individual needs in GDM care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore women's experiences with gestational diabetes.
• To identify coping strategies employed by women managing GDM lifestyle advice.
• To examine healthcare professionals' approaches to GDM care from the patients' perspective.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological approach utilizing semi-structured interviews.
• Nine women diagnosed with gestational diabetes participated.
• Interviews were conducted at a university hospital setting.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged: experience of control, personal strategies, and unintended consequences.
• Women perceived clinic monitoring as both surveillance and safety, developing personal strategies for coping.
• Some women felt labeled and expressed concerns about their health and their baby's well-being, indicating unmet individual needs in care.

Conclusions:

• Monitoring provided a sense of safety but also heightened awareness of others' reactions.
• Women's behavioral change strategies included dietary restriction and increased physical activity.
• Healthcare professionals' GDM management should prioritize individual patient needs and perspectives for improved outcomes.