Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, Arthur and Sonia Labatt Health Sciences Building, London, Ontario, Canada.
Can J Diabetes. 2015 Apr;39(2):117-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2014.09.005. Epub 2014 Dec 12.
Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) require enhanced medical care, social support and health behaviour changes to reduce the complications of pregnancy and future adverse health outcomes. Little is known about how a GDM diagnosis positively and negatively impacts women, especially those of diverse ethnic backgrounds. This qualitative study sought to gain insight into the reactions and experiences of multiethnic women diagnosed with GDM.
A qualitative descriptive approach was used to analyze semistructured telephone interviews conducted with 19 pregnant women of diverse backgrounds who were diagnosed with GDM. Interviews were recorded and transcribed and then coded and analyzed using content analysis.
This study identified 2 main themes and several subthemes. First, women reported many negative effects of a GDM diagnosis, including heightened pressure to fulfill multiple roles, financial impact, and a disconnect between diabetes-prevention recommendations and their cultural practices. Second, a GDM diagnosis also had positive effects on many women. Women indicated being motivated to make health behaviour changes after a GDM diagnosis and viewed it as a wake-up call to modify their lifestyles.
To help pregnant women with self-management of gestational diabetes, healthcare providers should pay greater attention to the adverse effects of GDM on women, including role expectations, cultural issues and financial barriers. Healthcare providers also need to focus on the positive effects and capitalize on women's motivation to make lifestyle changes to reduce their future risk for diabetes.
患有妊娠糖尿病（GDM）的女性需要加强医疗保健、社会支持和健康行为改变，以降低妊娠并发症和未来不良健康结局的风险。对于 GDM 诊断如何对女性产生积极和消极的影响，尤其是对不同种族背景的女性，人们知之甚少。本 qualitative study 旨在深入了解被诊断为 GDM 的多民族女性的反应和经历。
采用定性描述方法，对 19 名背景不同的被诊断为 GDM 的孕妇进行了半结构式电话访谈。对访谈进行了记录和转录，然后使用内容分析对其进行编码和分析。
本研究确定了 2 个主要主题和几个子主题。首先，女性报告了 GDM 诊断的许多负面影响，包括履行多种角色的压力增加、经济影响，以及糖尿病预防建议与她们的文化实践之间的脱节。其次，GDM 诊断对许多女性也有积极影响。女性表示在被诊断为 GDM 后有动力改变健康行为，并将其视为改变生活方式的警钟。
为了帮助孕妇自我管理妊娠糖尿病，医护人员应更加关注 GDM 对女性的不良影响，包括角色期望、文化问题和经济障碍。医护人员还需要关注积极影响，并利用女性改变生活方式的动机，降低她们未来患糖尿病的风险。
