“I would do what they say to be safe”. A qualitative study exploring decision-making about timing of birth for women with gestational diabetes mellitus

“I would do what they say to be safe”. A qualitative study exploring decision-making about timing of birth for women with gestational diabetes mellitus | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 12 May 2026 V1 Latest version Share on “I would do what they say to be safe”. A qualitative study exploring decision-making about timing of birth for women with gestational diabetes mellitus Authors : Kathy Lynch [email protected] , Jennifer Fereday [email protected] , Amanda Poprzeczny 0000-0002-6162-0305 [email protected] , and Tracy Humphrey [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15003162/v1 13 views 6 downloads Contents Abstract Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Objective To explore how women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and clinicians navigate decision-making about timing of birth in the context of limited evidence supporting induction of labour (IOL). Design Qualitative descriptive study. Setting Two metropolitan tertiary hospitals and one regional hospital in South Australia. Population or Sample Women with recent experience of GDM and clinicians providing antenatal care to women with GDM. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women and clinicians. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis informed by an interpretivist approach. Main Outcome Measures Experiences, perceptions and information needs related to decision-making regarding timing of birth for women with GDM. Results Fifteen women and 51 clinicians (16 interviews) participated. Four themes illustrated how IOL was frequently positioned as the default pathway following a diagnosis of GDM. Women described reduced confidence in bodily autonomy and an increased sense of responsibility for fetal safety, many to perceive induction as the safest option. Clinicians described balancing perceptions of risk, guideline interpretation, and service pressures when discussing timing of birth, contributing to early framing of IOL as the anticipated pathway. Fragmented care and inconsistent communication limited opportunities for shared decision-making. Conclusions Decision-making about timing of birth for women with GDM appeared influenced by risk framing, institutional practices, and uncertainty within the evidence base. Despite limited evidence supporting routine induction, IOL was often normalised in clinical care. Greater emphasis on continuity, balanced risk communication and engagement with women’s values and preferences may strengthen woman-centred shared decision-making. Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 12 May 2026 Keywords DIABETES IN PREGNANCY MEDICAL DISORDERS IN PREGNANCY DELIVERY: CAESAREAN SECTION FETAL MEDICINE: UTEROPLACENTAL INSUFFICIENCY HAEMATOLOGY: COAGULATION IMMUNOLOGY MEDICAL DISORDERS IN PREGNANCY MISCARRIAGE MISCARRIAGE: RECURRENT OBSTETRIC HAEMORRHAGE PRE-ECLAMPSIA: CLINICAL RESEARCH PRETERM LABOUR: CLINICAL RESEARCH PRETERM LABOUR: BASIC SCIENCE EPIDEMIOLOGY: PERINATAL FETAL MEDICINE: ALLOIMMUNISATION DIABETES IN PREGNANCY ANTENATAL CARE LABOUR: INDUCTION QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DELIVERY: CAESAREAN SECTION FETAL MEDICINE: UTEROPLACENTAL INSUFFICIENCY HAEMATOLOGY: COAGULATION IMMUNOLOGY MEDICAL DISORDERS IN PREGNANCY MISCARRIAGE MISCARRIAGE: RECURRENT OBSTETRIC HAEMORRHAGE PRE-ECLAMPSIA: CLINICAL RESEARCH PRETERM LABOUR: CLINICAL RESEARCH PRETERM LABOUR: BASIC SCIENCE EPIDEMIOLOGY: PERINATAL FETAL MEDICINE: ALLOIMMUNISATION DIABETES IN PREGNANCY MEDICAL DISORDERS IN PREGNANCY ADENOMYOSIS: BASIC SCIENCE Authors Affiliations Kathy Lynch [email protected] Adelaide University, Adelaide, Australia, 5000 View all articles by this author Jennifer Fereday [email protected] View all articles by this author Amanda Poprzeczny 0000-0002-6162-0305 [email protected] View all articles by this author Tracy Humphrey [email protected] Adelaide University, Adelaide, Australia, 5000 View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 13 views 6 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Kathy Lynch, Jennifer Fereday, Amanda Poprzeczny, et al. “I would do what they say to be safe”. A qualitative study exploring decision-making about timing of birth for women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Authorea . 12 May 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15003162/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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