Assessment of Women's Awareness of the Effects of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus on the Mother and Fetus in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of glucose intolerance that arises during pregnancy, affecting a significant portion of women. It has immediate and long-term effects on both the mother and fetus, including complications like preeclampsia, premature delivery, and an increased risk of cesarean sections. A cross-sectional study among Saudi Arabia's general population, which included 979 women aged between 18 and 60, found varying levels of awareness of GDM, emphasizing the need for more research on awareness levels regarding GDM in Saudi Arabia and more educational campaigns to improve awareness. Objectives The study evaluates the knowledge of pregnant women about GDM and its implications for the mother and fetus. It investigates the relationship between knowledge levels and demographic factors like age, education, and socioeconomic status, aiming to identify knowledge gaps regarding this health issue and develop targeted educational initiatives. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study that included 979 women and was conducted using a Google Forms (Google Inc., Mountainview, CA) questionnaire. The questionnaire covered demographics and explored the knowledge level of women about the impact of GDM on the mother and fetus. Statistical analysis was implemented by IBM SPSS software version 27.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), with a 5% significance level. Ethical approval was sought, emphasizing anonymous data collection. We did not collect any identifying or private information from participants, and all responses were kept confidential. Results A study of 979 women revealed that their knowledge of GDM was significantly influenced by their age, gestational age, and the number of prior deliveries (p -value < 0.05). The total mean knowledge score for women's correct responses stood at 7.62 (+/- 4.49). The study found that a majority of women, exceeding 60%, accurately answered certain questions about GDM, such as its association with heightened risks, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, cesarean section likelihood, high birth weight, and preeclampsia. However, less than 30% could answer yes to questions that indicated that GDM could increase the risk of shoulder dystocia, hypoglycemia at birth, premature rupture of membranes, postpartum hemorrhage, and vacuum delivery. Conclusion There is a need for targeted educational initiatives, particularly focusing on knowledge gaps that women are lacking regarding GDM. Age and prior deliveries were identified as significant determinants of knowledge levels.