A survey of knowledge and attitudes regarding gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant Thai women stratified by body mass index category

Assessment of knowledge and attitudes toward gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) across BMI categories may help identify educational gaps among women at different levels of risk and guide targeted antenatal education strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Songklanagarind Hospital from April through July 2024, after receiving ethical committee approval. Knowledge and attitudes regarding GDM were evaluated using self-administered questionnaires, with a total of 24 questions to evaluate knowledge and 4 questions for attitude assessment. A total of 216 women were enrolled with a mean age of 31.4 ± 4.8 years (range 20–42 years) and were categorized into three groups based on BMI : <18.5, 18.5–22.9, and ≥ 23 kg/m 2 . The median score for knowledge was 8 out of 24, with only 53.7% of participants reaching this score. Only 2.8% of participants with a BMI greater than 23 kg/m² had good knowledge of GDM. Additionally, only 19.9% of participants recognized their risk factors for developing GDM. The factors significantly associated with a score > 8 were having a higher education level (aORs 4.86 (1.81–13.09)), previous GDM screening before completing the self-admisnistered questionnaire (aORs 2.31 (1.23–4.33)), a family history of diabetes mellitus (aORs 2.60 (1.22–5.54)), a history of polycystic ovarian syndrome (aORs 7.42 (1.44–38.15)), and previously heard of GDM (aORs 5.38 (1.21–23.9)). Finally, most participants had good attitudes towards GDM. Knowledge about GDM among pregnant Thai women ranged from poor to fair, with few participants aware of their risk for developing the condition, even among overweight or obese women. However, most participants had good attitudes concerning GDM, so providing information about this condition should be encouraged.