Factors Affecting Attendance at Postpartum Diabetes Screening in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Aim: This study aimed to examine the barriers and facilitators to attendance at postpartum diabetes screening.

Method: The study sample consisted of women who diagnosed with gestational diabetes at Istanbul University, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic between January 2008 to January 2012. The 111 women with GD were included in the sample. The data were obtained using the survey form which occurred by researcher. In form of survey, demographic and obstetric characteristics, gestational diabetes, postpartum screening, about barriers to attending screening and about facilitators to attending screening included questions regarding facilitating factors. We communicated with women person to person by telephone. Instatistical analysis, Chi-Square test, Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon test were used.

Results: The women were average of age 34.25±5.67 years, parity 1.98±1.09, pre-pregnancy body mass index 26.95±4.12. 38.7% (n:43) of women reported postpartum diabetes screeining. As a result of postpartum screening, 12.6% (n:14) women were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. In conclusion, defi ned maximum facilitator factors were; 55.8% (n:24) aware of the need for the screening, 25.6% (n:11) to be patient with diabetes in the family and 34.9% (n:15) medical provider reminders, while maximum barrier factors were 57.4% (n:39) lack of awareness of the need to attend screening, 51.5% (n:35) lack of awareness, 14.7% (n:10) lack of babysitting, 19.1% (n:15) too busy with other issues.

Conclusion: Facilitating postpartum diabetes screening “awareness”, the lack of knowledge of the inhibiting factors determineded to be the most important factor