Facilitators of postpartum diabetes screening in women with recent gestational diabetes: A qualitative study

Risk of diabetes mellitus is higher in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Postpartum diabetes screening is recommended in women with GDM. However, the rate of this screening is low.

The purpose of this study was to perform an in-depth exploration of perceived facilitators of attendance to postpartum diabetes screening in women with recent GDM.

This qualitative study was conducted in 2016 in Tehran. Semi-structured interviews carried out with 22 women with a recent GDM who gave birth at least 6 months before the interview.

Four main categories were emerged from the data. Each category included two to three subcategories. The first category was appropriate education and included two subcategories of prenatal education and postpartum education. The second category was feeling the ease of screening and included two subcategories of spousal support, and appropriate laboratory facilities. The third category was self-regulation and included three subcategories of importance of health, a desire toward learning about health, and proper planning. The fourth category was attitudes toward the screening and included three subcategories of initial fear better than consequences, feeling comfortable, and uncertainty regarding glucometer's accuracy. The last category was perceived threat and included three subcategories of fear of developing diabetes, being healthy to serve the child/children, and being healthy for other roles.

Iranian women with recent GDM reported several facilitators for diabetes postpartum screening. Further studies are suggested.