Barriers to GDM self-management
Theme 1: Time pressures
Participants discussed, at length, the difficulties they
encountered when learning to self manage their GDM.
Time pressure was identified as possibly the greatest
challenge the women faced. This included limited time
to understand and make sense of their GDM diagnosis,
together with a sense of urgency to effect immediate
blood glucose control by adopting the advised dietary regime.
Two sub-themes were identified: the urgency of
immediate change and finding time for everything.
The urgency of immediate change
Most women described a time of shock and confusion as
they came to terms with their diagnosis of GDM. This
stage was made all the more difficult because of the
immediate and quite dramatic dietary change required.
Such urgency left participants with what Lili describes as
no time to think it through. Generally, it took some time
for women to make sense of what was required and to
understand the seriousness of their condition. Tran
describes her experience: