O Diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG) é uma séria condição que afeta muitas gestantes e traz muitos riscos tanto para a gestante, como para o feto. A recomendação é que se faça o rastreamento com teste oral de tolerância à glicose (TOTG) entre 24 e 28 semanas de gestação. O objetivo desse estudo é determinar a utilidade do teste de hemoglobina glicada (A1c) como teste diagnóstico de DMG, comparado com os critérios baseados na medida de glicemia. Métodos: este é um estudo de acurácia de teste diagnóstico. Nós avaliamos o metabolismo dos carboidratos através dos testes de TOTG e A1c em mulheres grávidas brasileiras atendidas nas visitas de pré-natal do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Além dos testes de TOTG e A1c, foi analisada a história clínica das pacientes. O DMG foi definido de acordo com critério da American Diabetes Association (ADA) - um ou mais pontos alterados, glicemia de jejum, 1h ou 2h com concentrações de glicose plasmática ≥5.1, 10.0, ou 8.5 mmol/L, respectivamente-, ou de acordo com os critérios da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) - glicemia de jejum ou 2h com concentrações de glicose plasmática ≥7.0mmol/L ou ≥7.8mmol/L, respectivamente. Presença de anemia, hemoglobinas variantes e doença renal crônica foram excluídas. Para avaliar o desempenho do teste de A1c foi utilizada a curva ROC (receiver operating characteristic curve). Resultados: um total de 262 mulheres grávidas (média de idade de 30 anos, média de idade gestacional de 26 semanas) foram avaliadas e 82 (31,3%) tiveram diagnóstico positivo (40 pelo critério da ADA e 42 pelo critério da OMS). Baseado na análise da curva ROC, considerando os critérios da ADA e OMS juntos e o TOTG como teste de referência, o ponto de corte para obter o melhor equilíbrio entre sensibilidade e especificidade (diagonal 100% a 100%) foi o valor de A1c de 31mmol/mol (5,3%). A sensibilidade e especificidade para este ponto de corte foi de 69,9% e 65,9%, respectivamente. Os pontos de corte de 40 mmol/mol (5.8%), 41 mmol⁄mol (5.9%) e 42 mmol⁄mol (6.0%) representaram especificidades de 96,1%, 96,6% e 98,3%, respectivamente. Conclusões: o teste de A1c apresenta baixa sensibilidade e alta especificidade para o diagnóstico de DMG, quando comparado com o critério tradicional. Nossos resultados mostraram que 39% dos casos de DMG foram diagnosticados usando o ponto de corte de A1c≥ 40 mmol/mol (5.8%). O teste de A1c, sozinho ou em combinação com o TOTG, talvez seja bastante útil no diagnóstico de DMG. / BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a potentially serious condition that affects many pregnancies and it carries risk for the mother and neonate. The current recommendation is to perform screening before 24 - 28 weeks of gestation by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The aim of this study is to determine the usefulness of glycated hemoglobin (A1c) as a diagnostic tool for GDM compared with the traditional criteria based on glycemia measurements. METHODS: This is a study of diagnostic test accuracy. We evaluated the status of carbohydrate metabolism by performing OGTT and A1c in Brazilian pregnant women attending prenatal visits at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). A1c, OGTT, and clinical history were analyzed. GDM was defined according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria (one or more fasting, 1-h, or 2-h plasma glucose concentrations ≥5.1, 10.0, or 8.5 mmol/L; respectively) or World Health Organization (WHO) criteria (fasting or 2-h plasma glucose ≥7.0mmol/L or ≥7.8mmol/L, respectively). Presence of anemia, variant hemoglobins and chronic renal disease were excluded. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of A1c. RESULTS: A total of 262 pregnant women (mean age 30 years, mean gestational duration 26 weeks) were enrolled and 82 (31.3%) were diagnosed with diabetes (40 by ADA criteria and 42 by WHO criteria). Based on ROC curve analysis, and considering OGTT as the reference criterion, the cut-off point obtained by the point with the best equilibrium between sensitivity and specificity (100%-to-100% diagonal) was A1c value of 31 mmol⁄mol (5.3%). The sensitivity and specificity for this cut-off 27 point were 69.9 % and 65.9 %, respectively. The cut-off points of A1c of 40 mmol/mol (5.8%), 41 mmol⁄mol (5.9%) and 42 mmol⁄mol (6.0%) presented specificities of 96,1%, 96,6% and 98,3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A1c test presented low sensitivity and very high specificity for GDM diagnosis when compared with traditional criteria. Our results show that 39% of GDM cases would be diagnosed by using the cut-off point A1c≥ 40 mmol/mol (5.8%) alone. A1c test, alone or in combination with OGTT, may be a very useful diagnostic tool in GDM.

Orientador: Walkyria de Paula Pimenta / Resumo: Está estabelecida a associação entre diabetes mellitus (DM) tipo 2 e hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS). É conhecida a maior ocorrência de distúrbios hipertensivos no diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG). No Serviço de Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, as gestantes são avaliadas quanto ao metabolismo da glicose por meio do teste oral de tolerância à glicose (TOTG) e o perfil glicêmico (PG), sendo classificadas em 4 grupos: IA - com ambos os testes normais, têm tolerância à glicose normal; IB - com apenas o PG alterado, têm hiperglicemia diária; IIA - com apenas o TOTG alterado, têm DMG; IIB - com ambos os testes alterados, têm DMG e hiperglicemia diária. Anteriormente, observamos maior risco de desenvolvimento de DM tipo 2 nos três grupos com distúrbios hiperglicêmicos em relação ao grupo IA. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a freqüência de ocorrência de HAS nos quatro grupos gestacionais após três a 12 anos do parto. De 3113 gestantes acompanhadas pelo Serviço de Obstetrícia, foram selecionadas 551 por meio de processo aleatório e proporcional ao número de gestantes de cada grupo. Destas, puderam participar do estudo 535, assim distribuídas nos grupos: IA - 250 (100,0%); IB - 120 (100,0%); IIA - 77 (87,5%) e IIB - 88 (94,6%). As participantes eram avaliadas clinicamente e quanto à tolerância à glicose, com medição da glicemia de jejum e realização do TOTG quando a glicemia estava alterada (110 a 125 mg/dL). O estudo da associação entre a freqüência de ocorrência das variáveis e os grupos gestacionais foi feito pelo teste de Goodman. Para as variáveis quantitativas, utilizou-se a análise de variância não paramétrica na comparação entre os quatro grupos. Na análise da associação entre a pressão arterial atual e as variáveis... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: High blood pressure is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). There is an increased prevalence of hypertensive disorders in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Glucose intolerance is evaluated at the Obstetrics Unit of Botucatu School of Medicine using the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and glucose profile (GP). Pregnant women are classified into 4 groups: IA, both tests are normal - they have normal glucose tolerance; IB, only the GP is abnormal - they have habitual gestational hyperglycemia; IIA, only the OGTT is abnormal - they have GDM; and IIB, both tests are abnormal - they have GDM and habitual gestational hyperglycemia. Previously, we have observed higher risk of developing T2DM in the 3 above groups with hyperglycemic disorders in relation to the IA group. The aim of this study was to compare hypertension frequency in women among the 4 groups of glucose tolerance, 3 to 12 years after index-pregnancy. From 3,113 pregnant women followed at our Obstetrics Unit, we selected 551 by a process that was randomized and proportional to the number of pregnant women in each group. Of these, 535 could participate in this study and were distributed into the following groups: 250 (100.0%) - IA, 120 (100.0%) - IB, 77 (87.5%) - IIA, and 88 (94.6%) - IIB. The women were evaluated clinically and in relation to glucose tolerance. This was done by measuring fasting plasma glucose and performing the OGTT when plasma glucose was between 110 and 125 mg/dL. Analysis of association between frequency of the variables and the 4 groups was by Goodman's test. Comparison between the groups in relation to quantitative variables was performed by the non-parametric analysis of variance. The c2 test analyzed the association between normal or high... (Complete abstract click electronic address below) / Mestre

Orientador: Iracema Mattos Paranhos / Coorientador: Sulani Silva de Souza / Banca: José Guilherme Cecatti / Banca: Maria Aparecida Mourão Brasil / Resumo: As alterações no metabolismo materno são importantes para suprir as demandas do feto. Entretanto, mulheres que engravidam com algum grau de resistência à insulina, como nos casos de sobrepeso/obesidade, obesidade central e síndrome dos ovários policísticos, associado à ação dos hormônios placentários anti-insulínicos favorece o quadro de hiperglicemia de intensidade variada, caracterizando o diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG) e levando a efeitos adversos maternos e fetais. Diante da ausência de um consenso universal para o rastreamento e diagnóstico do DMG, esta revisão teve como objetivos, elencar os variados protocolos que foram propostos, bem como ressaltar os fatores de risco associados ao DMG e suas complicações. O mais recente protocolo é o da Associação Americana de Diabetes, com mudanças que se justifi cariam pelo aumento alarmante da obesidade mundial e, em decorrência, o potencial incremento na ocorrência do diabetes mellitus tipo 2, nem sempre diagnosticado antes do período gestacional. A intenção deste protocolo é identifi car as gestantes que se benefi ciariam do controle da hiperglicemia, melhorando o prognóstico destas gestações e prevenindo complicações futuras para as mães e seus filhos / Abstract: Alterations in maternal metabolism are important in order to supply the demands of the fetus. However, pregnant women with some degree of insulin resistance, such as in cases of overweight/obesity, central obesity and polycystic ovaries syndrome, associated to the action of anti-insulin placental hormones, contribute to a case of hyperglycemia of varied intensity, characterizing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and leading to adverse effects both maternal and fetal. At the absence of a universal consensus to the tracking and diagnosis of GDM, this review had the purpose of listing the various protocols that have been proposed, as well as highlighting the risk factors associated with GDM and its complications. The most recent protocol is the one from the American Diabetes Association, with changes that would be justifi ed by the alarming raise in worldwide obesity and, consequently, the potential increase to the occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, not always diagnosed before the gestational period. The intention of this protocol is to identify the gestating women that could benefi t from hyperglycemia control, improving the prognostic of these pregnancies and preventing future complications for mothers and their children / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-08-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:39:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bolognani_cv_me_botfm.pdf: 441282 bytes, checksum: 82f05cd6dba4ecfca5d19ced1146d059 (MD5) / Fundação de Ensino e Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde (FEPECS) / As alterações no metabolismo materno são importantes para suprir as demandas do feto. Entretanto, mulheres que engravidam com algum grau de resistência à insulina, como nos casos de sobrepeso/obesidade, obesidade central e síndrome dos ovários policísticos, associado à ação dos hormônios placentários anti-insulínicos favorece o quadro de hiperglicemia de intensidade variada, caracterizando o diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG) e levando a efeitos adversos maternos e fetais. Diante da ausência de um consenso universal para o rastreamento e diagnóstico do DMG, esta revisão teve como objetivos, elencar os variados protocolos que foram propostos, bem como ressaltar os fatores de risco associados ao DMG e suas complicações. O mais recente protocolo é o da Associação Americana de Diabetes, com mudanças que se justifi cariam pelo aumento alarmante da obesidade mundial e, em decorrência, o potencial incremento na ocorrência do diabetes mellitus tipo 2, nem sempre diagnosticado antes do período gestacional. A intenção deste protocolo é identifi car as gestantes que se benefi ciariam do controle da hiperglicemia, melhorando o prognóstico destas gestações e prevenindo complicações futuras para as mães e seus filhos / Alterations in maternal metabolism are important in order to supply the demands of the fetus. However, pregnant women with some degree of insulin resistance, such as in cases of overweight/obesity, central obesity and polycystic ovaries syndrome, associated to the action of anti-insulin placental hormones, contribute to a case of hyperglycemia of varied intensity, characterizing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and leading to adverse effects both maternal and fetal. At the absence of a universal consensus to the tracking and diagnosis of GDM, this review had the purpose of listing the various protocols that have been proposed, as well as highlighting the risk factors associated with GDM and its complications. The most recent protocol is the one from the American Diabetes Association, with changes that would be justifi ed by the alarming raise in worldwide obesity and, consequently, the potential increase to the occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, not always diagnosed before the gestational period. The intention of this protocol is to identify the gestating women that could benefi t from hyperglycemia control, improving the prognostic of these pregnancies and preventing future complications for mothers and their children

O Diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG) é uma séria condição que afeta muitas gestantes e traz muitos riscos tanto para a gestante, como para o feto. A recomendação é que se faça o rastreamento com teste oral de tolerância à glicose (TOTG) entre 24 e 28 semanas de gestação. O objetivo desse estudo é determinar a utilidade do teste de hemoglobina glicada (A1c) como teste diagnóstico de DMG, comparado com os critérios baseados na medida de glicemia. Métodos: este é um estudo de acurácia de teste diagnóstico. Nós avaliamos o metabolismo dos carboidratos através dos testes de TOTG e A1c em mulheres grávidas brasileiras atendidas nas visitas de pré-natal do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Além dos testes de TOTG e A1c, foi analisada a história clínica das pacientes. O DMG foi definido de acordo com critério da American Diabetes Association (ADA) - um ou mais pontos alterados, glicemia de jejum, 1h ou 2h com concentrações de glicose plasmática ≥5.1, 10.0, ou 8.5 mmol/L, respectivamente-, ou de acordo com os critérios da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) - glicemia de jejum ou 2h com concentrações de glicose plasmática ≥7.0mmol/L ou ≥7.8mmol/L, respectivamente. Presença de anemia, hemoglobinas variantes e doença renal crônica foram excluídas. Para avaliar o desempenho do teste de A1c foi utilizada a curva ROC (receiver operating characteristic curve). Resultados: um total de 262 mulheres grávidas (média de idade de 30 anos, média de idade gestacional de 26 semanas) foram avaliadas e 82 (31,3%) tiveram diagnóstico positivo (40 pelo critério da ADA e 42 pelo critério da OMS). Baseado na análise da curva ROC, considerando os critérios da ADA e OMS juntos e o TOTG como teste de referência, o ponto de corte para obter o melhor equilíbrio entre sensibilidade e especificidade (diagonal 100% a 100%) foi o valor de A1c de 31mmol/mol (5,3%). A sensibilidade e especificidade para este ponto de corte foi de 69,9% e 65,9%, respectivamente. Os pontos de corte de 40 mmol/mol (5.8%), 41 mmol⁄mol (5.9%) e 42 mmol⁄mol (6.0%) representaram especificidades de 96,1%, 96,6% e 98,3%, respectivamente. Conclusões: o teste de A1c apresenta baixa sensibilidade e alta especificidade para o diagnóstico de DMG, quando comparado com o critério tradicional. Nossos resultados mostraram que 39% dos casos de DMG foram diagnosticados usando o ponto de corte de A1c≥ 40 mmol/mol (5.8%). O teste de A1c, sozinho ou em combinação com o TOTG, talvez seja bastante útil no diagnóstico de DMG. / BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a potentially serious condition that affects many pregnancies and it carries risk for the mother and neonate. The current recommendation is to perform screening before 24 - 28 weeks of gestation by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The aim of this study is to determine the usefulness of glycated hemoglobin (A1c) as a diagnostic tool for GDM compared with the traditional criteria based on glycemia measurements. METHODS: This is a study of diagnostic test accuracy. We evaluated the status of carbohydrate metabolism by performing OGTT and A1c in Brazilian pregnant women attending prenatal visits at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). A1c, OGTT, and clinical history were analyzed. GDM was defined according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria (one or more fasting, 1-h, or 2-h plasma glucose concentrations ≥5.1, 10.0, or 8.5 mmol/L; respectively) or World Health Organization (WHO) criteria (fasting or 2-h plasma glucose ≥7.0mmol/L or ≥7.8mmol/L, respectively). Presence of anemia, variant hemoglobins and chronic renal disease were excluded. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of A1c. RESULTS: A total of 262 pregnant women (mean age 30 years, mean gestational duration 26 weeks) were enrolled and 82 (31.3%) were diagnosed with diabetes (40 by ADA criteria and 42 by WHO criteria). Based on ROC curve analysis, and considering OGTT as the reference criterion, the cut-off point obtained by the point with the best equilibrium between sensitivity and specificity (100%-to-100% diagonal) was A1c value of 31 mmol⁄mol (5.3%). The sensitivity and specificity for this cut-off 27 point were 69.9 % and 65.9 %, respectively. The cut-off points of A1c of 40 mmol/mol (5.8%), 41 mmol⁄mol (5.9%) and 42 mmol⁄mol (6.0%) presented specificities of 96,1%, 96,6% and 98,3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A1c test presented low sensitivity and very high specificity for GDM diagnosis when compared with traditional criteria. Our results show that 39% of GDM cases would be diagnosed by using the cut-off point A1c≥ 40 mmol/mol (5.8%) alone. A1c test, alone or in combination with OGTT, may be a very useful diagnostic tool in GDM.

Abstract The prevalence of the isolated ultrasonographic finding of polycystic ovaries (PCO) in the Finnish population and among women with a history of gestational diabetes (GDM) and changes in the present carbohydrate metabolism were investigated in the present study. One aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the recently discovered variant type LH (v-LH) in PCOS and to compare patient cohorts from Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. In addition, this study attempted to evaluate the nature of the ovarian streoidogenic response of women with PCOS to exogenously administered human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), human menotrophin (hMG) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The effect of metformin on ovarian steroidogenesis was also studied. The prevalence of PCO was significantly higher in younger (≤ 35 years, 21.6%) than among older women (in ≥ 36 years, 7.8%). The overall prevalence of PCO in Finnish women was 14.2%. Women with previous GDM revealed a high prevalence of PCO (39.4%). The carrier frequency of the v-LHb allele in the entire study population was 18.5%. The frequency of the v-LH carrier was significantly lower in obese PCOS subjects in the Netherlands (2.0%) and Finland (4.5%). Women with previous GDM had impaired insulin sensitivity and β-cell function. They also had higher adrenal androgen secretion than the control women. Women with PCO and previous GDM had marked hyperinsulinemia which was not explained by obesity. Obese PCOS women achieved peak peripheral serum T concentrations at 48 hours after a hCG injection, preceded by peak levels of 17-OHP and E2 at 24 hours. In contrast, all steroids measured in the control women reached their maximum serum concentrations at 96 hours. HMG stimulated the production of ovarian androgens more efficiently than a urinary FSH after pituitary suppression with a gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa). In conclusion, the prevalence of PCO is common in healthy Finnish women and even more common in women with a history of GDM. The ultrasonographic appearance of PCO may be a predictive factor with regards abnormal glucose tolerance during and after pregnancy and, these women should therefore be advised as to possible consequences. The high overall frequency of the v-LH allele in women in general and its low frequency in obese PCOS patients suggests that v-LH plays a role in reproductive functions and may counteract the pathogenesis of PCOS in obese individuals. The differences observed in steroid responses to hCG between normal and PCOS women might be explained by higher theca cell activity or mass in polycystic ovaries. Women with PCOS did not show a distinctly exaggerated steroidogenic response to hMG or FSH administration compared with control women. FSH administration also resulted in increased A and T production.

Gestational diabetes mellitus impacts between 3-10% of pregnancies, and increases the risk of pregnancy complications and lifelong health effects for mother and child (Bellamy, Casas, Hingorani, & Williams, 2009; Ross, 2006; Ryser Rüetschi et al., 2016). About half of cases occur without an evident risk factor (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 1994; Dode & Santos, 2009). The present study was designed to examine possible psychophysiological connections linking psychological stress and stress reactivity, the magnitude of an individual’s response to stress, to blood sugar metabolization during mid-pregnancy between 24-28 weeks gestation. Participants were recruited from Sanford Health in Fargo, where patients underwent routine Oral Glucose Tolerance Testing (OGTT) a diagnostic assessment in which higher results indicate less blood sugar metabolization. They also completed a Virtual Trier Social Stress Task while psychological and physiological markers of stress reactivity were assessed. Additionally, maternal stress and stress reactivity were assessed using psychosocial questionnaires. There was support for proposed psychophysiological connections, including models in which positive associations between OGTT and maternal stress and anxiety were moderated by psychological stress reactivity. Results suggest that both the presence of stress and a women’s responses to that stress are influential over blood glucose metabolization during pregnancy. Continuing research in this area may have implications for improving outcomes of women at higher risk of GDM and other adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an increasing problem in the U.S. Many comorbidities are associated with GDM: increased risk for type 2 diabetes, neonatal hypoglycemia and fetal malformation. Healthcare organizations develop GDM educational programs to provide women with knowledge and skills to manage GDM and reduce health risks. While there are significant benefits to attending GDM educational programs, attendance rates are low. Little research has been conducted to determine reasons for low attendance in GDM educational programs. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women with GDM and to describe factors influencing GDM educational program attendance. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with GDM program participants at a large hospital in central Kentucky. The sample size was N=21. Results indicated that meal management changes and blood glucose monitoring characterized the GDM experience and many attended the educational program to receive information on these topics. Few participants reported barriers to attendance. The majority was satisfied with information received. Motivators to attendance included flexibility, location, and support of family members.. Participants preferred face-to-face meetings although some expressed a need for online classes and communication via text messaging. Participants expressed the need for GDM information postpartum.

Introduction: Adequate calcium and vitamin D are needed for maternal and fetal health. Many pregnant women are not consuming enough calcium and are at high risk for vitamin D deficiency. Objectives: To 1) investigate the nutrition-related knowledge, opinions, and clinical practices of family physicians (FPs) towards prenatal calcium and vitamin D; and 2) determine the prevalence of meeting a predefined cut-off serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration ([25-OHD]) for vitamin D sufficiency (≥ 75 nmol/L) in a cohort of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: Part 1: 500 surveys were mailed out to randomly selected FPs across Manitoba. Part 2: data were collected via retrospective chart review of 35 pregnant women with GDM attending a teaching hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2013 and having one serum [25-OHD] measurement during their pregnancy. Results: Approximately one-third of FPs are discussing calcium and vitamin D requirements and supplements with their prenatal patients. The top three perceived barriers to delivery of calcium and vitamin D advice were more urgent issues, lack of time, and forgetting to do so. The mean serum [25-OHD] was 52.5 ± 24.1 nmol/L (range 14-109 nmol/L). Over half of women (51.4%) were vitamin D deficient ([25-OHD] < 50 nmol/L), and 28.6% of women were insufficient ([25-OHD] 50-74 nmol/L). Conclusions: Physicians would benefit from more training in nutrition. Multiple barriers exist that prevent FPs from providing calcium and vitamin D advice. Women with GDM have a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in our study. / February 2016

The overall aim of the thesis was to explore the perspectives of Chinese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) focused on their beliefs about health and illness and self-care behavior, the quality of care in China, and their lived experience.                       All the studies were conducted with qualitative methodology using individual interviews. Data were collected in obstetric clinics or wards at three different hospitals or the participants’ workplaces in the south east of China. Content analysis, according to Mayring, was used for data analysis in Study І (15 interviews) and Study II (17 interviews). Content analysis, according to Graneheim &amp; Lundman, was used for data analysis in Study III (44 interviews). In Study IV (18 interviews), data were analyzed by using phenomenological hermeneutics, according to Lindseth &amp; Norberg.      Three styles of beliefs about GDM among the Chinese women were explored in the thesis: GDM should be considered seriously; GDM was not a severe illness; and GDM was nothing to worry about. Correspondingly, three self-care behavior models were revealed: women strove to control GDM, and maintained their blood glucose values at a normal level; or women tried to control GDM based on the knowledge they received, but some of them felt helpless because the blood glucose level could not be maintained within the normal range; or women almost ignored GDM. They mainly sought help from professional sector and popular sector, and regarded health professionals and husbands as important people. They showed, however, that they sought a balance between following professionals’ advice and avoiding practical difficulties, which demonstrated the influence of health professionals, people around, and Chinese culture. The thesis highlighted a lack of knowledge, a lower level of risk awareness and poor self-care behavior among the women with GDM, as well as a lack of professional care resources for GDM and the lack of high-quality personalized care for the women. The core problem could be an resource imbalance between over-stretched hospitals and low-efficiency under-utilized primary healthcare centers. Their lived experience showed an eagerness to be cared for.     The thesis highlighted women’s call for caring care in China. The care of GDM for these women can most likely be improved by reform of clinical practice, particularly in primary healthcare services. It is necessary to increase the number of health professionals and material resources to a reasonable level, and to strengthen caring care in China.