Knowledge and Perception of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Among Pregnant Women Attending a Maternity Center in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study
Tangila Islam Hena* and Oashim Ratul
ABSTRACT
Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an important maternal health concern, and pregnant women’s knowledge and perceptions may influence engagement with screening and recommended care. Evidence from individual maternity-care settings in Bangladesh can help identify educational needs.
Objective: To assess knowledge and perception regarding GDM among pregnant women attending Matuail Maternity Center, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and to examine associations with selected socio-demographic characteristics and between knowledge and perception.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 118 pregnant women attending antenatal care at Matuail Maternity Center. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics, GDM knowledge, and perception. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Frequencies, percentages, and chi-square tests were used; p < .05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Of 118 participants, 84.7% were classified in the higher knowledge category and 15.3% in the next-lower category in the Chapter IV results table; however, the abstract and conclusion of the source thesis report different category labels. This discrepancy must be resolved against the original scoring data before submission. Positive perception was reported for 78.0% of participants and neutral perception for 22.0%; none were classified as having negative perception. The association between knowledge category and perception was not statistically significant (reported p = .523). Associations between perception and age (p = .069), education (p = .188), occupation (p = .708), residence (p = .809), previous diabetes in pregnancy (p = .901), and family history of diabetes (p = .355) were also reported as non-significant.
Conclusion: Participants were predominantly classified as having positive perceptions of GDM, while the knowledge-category findings require verification because the thesis contains conflicting labels. Antenatal services may use structured, understandable education to reinforce knowledge of GDM risk factors, screening, complications, and management.
