Experiences on screening and management of gestational diabetes among women diagnosed with GDM

Introduction: Understanding the experiences of women diagnosed with GDM can improve GDM care. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the perspectives of women in northern Ghana who had been diagnosed with GDM regarding screening and management. Methods: This was a facility-based qualitative cross-sectional study among purposively sampled women diagnosed with GDM and were receiving care from healthcare providers. Women were asked about their reaction on being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, experience with care, training, self-monitoring, and challenges with management of gestational diabetes and data obtained were analysed using thematic content analysis Results: Two major themes emerged on screening and management experience for women diagnosed with GDM; intense emotional experience relating to diagnosis and management and satisfactory experience on general GDM care. The intense emotional experience was characterised by feeling of sadness, fear, worry and confusion. The satisfactory experience was based on their thoughts on dietary advice they received during GDM care, the difficulties they experienced in getting information about diet from different health care professionals, feeling about getting information about diet from different health care professionals, perception about dietary and lifestyle approaches in the management of their condition and general thoughts or impressions on how GDM is managed. Conclusion: Two major themes emerged on screening and management experience for women diagnosed with GDM; intense emotional experience relating to diagnosis and management and satisfactory experience on general GDM care.