Knowledge of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus among Women of Reproductive Age in Rivers State—Implications for Prevention and Control

Background: Diabetes mellitus has attained the status of an epidemic in slow motion. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a sub-type which occurs in pregnancy. As part of a baseline assessment, the researchers sought to determine knowledge of GDM among women of reproductive age in the state. Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional household survey involving 2595 women of reproductive age residing in five local government areas in the state. It employed a multi-stage sampling technique to collect data using an interviewer-administered questionnaire built using Open Data Kit (ODK) software uploaded on android mobile phones. Results: The response rate was 100%. Mean age was 29.25 ± 7.11 years. The majority (2,351;90.6%) had heard about diabetes Mellitus but only 991 (38.2%) knew that diabetes can occur for the first time in pregnancy. Only 747 (28.8%), 929 (35.8%) and 790 (30.4%) respondents had good knowledge scores for GDM definition and risk factors, GDM screening diagnosis and treatment and GDM complications respectively. Only 681 (26.2%) had good overall knowledge of GDM. The major sources of knowledge of GDM were from friends (49.8%), health workers (34.6%) and mass media (10.4%). Residence in two urban LGAs (AdjO.R=1.79; 95% CI=1.36-2.34) and (AdjO.R=1.89; 95% CI =1.37-2.61), being married (AdjO.R=1.50; 95% CI=1.16-1.95) and having been pregnant (AdjO.R=2.69; 95% CI= 1.99-3.64) positively predicted good overall knowledge of GDM. Conclusion: These results underscore the need for information, education and communication (IEC) activities on a large scale targeted at women of reproductive age and their partners for prevention and control of GDM. Disclosure R. Ogu: None. O. Maduka: None. V.R. Agala: None. I. Porbeni: None.