Facilitators and barriers to attending postpartum screening in women with a recent pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus: a qualitative study.

Objective: Pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are 50% more likely to develop type II diabetes (T2D) within 6 months to 2 years after giving birth. Therefore, international guidelines recommend it is best practice for women diagnosed with GDM to attend screening for T2D 6-12 weeks postpartum and every 1-3 years thereafter for life. However, uptake of postpartum screening is suboptimal. This study will explore the facilitators of and barriers to attending postpartum screening for T2D that women experience.

Study Design: This was a prospective qualitative cohort study using thematic analysis.

Methods: A total of 27 in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted over the telephone with women who had recent GDM. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Facilitators of and barriers to attending postpartum screening were identified at three different levels: personal, intervention, and healthcare systems level. The most common facilitators identified were concern for their own health and having the importance of screening explained to them by a health professional. The most common barriers identified were confusion over the test and COVID-19.

Conclusion: This study identified several facilitators of and barriers to attending postpartum screening. These findings will help to inform research and interventions for improving rates of attendance at postpartum screening to reduce the subsequent risk of developing T2D.