Awareness of gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women in the Mopani district of Limpopo Province in South Africa: a quantitative study

Background: Despite the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases in developing countries, knowledge about gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women receiving antenatal care is insufficient. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of awareness and knowledge of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at local healthcare facilities in the mopani district of the Limpopo Province in South Africa. Methods: Simple random sampling was used to identify and select pregnant women receiving antenatal care during clinic visits. Health facilities in the district were selected using a multistage sampling technique: the facilities were initially clustered before being randomly sampled. A semi-structured questionnaire and data entry form were used to collect data. Collected data was subsequently analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0.0.0. Results: The findings of this study show that most pregnant women (87.4%) were uninformed regarding GDM. Healthcare workers were found to be the most common source of health-related information for patients. Most pregnant women had inadequate knowledge about the predisposing factors associated with GDM, testing methods, treatment, and future health outcomes for both the mother and child. Health education on GDM was found to be limited to pregnant women who were diagnosed with the condition. Conclusion: The study revealed that awareness and knowledge about GDM among pregnant women receiving antenatal care at healthcare facilities insufficient.