To study the awareness of gestational diabetes mellitus in antenatal women, and medical and paramedical trainees in teaching hospital in North India

Introduction Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases pregnancy complications and future development of diabetes. Success of initiatives to increase GDM awareness depends upon the knowledge level of healthcare providers and antenatal women. Materials and method It is a descriptive, cross-sectional study done in a teaching hospital in North India. Two pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaires assessing the basic and advanced knowledge on GDM were used. Participants included antenatal women, undergraduate trainees who filled the level 1 questionnaire, and postgraduate residents, MBBS 3rd professional students, who filled the level 2 questionnaire. The level of awareness was compared across groups using chi-square. Kruskal–Wallis H test was applied to check if the distribution of scores varied significantly across the three groups for both levels. Results A total of 1402 study subjects filled the level 1 questionnaire (nursing and paramedic students 680/1402, 48.5%; MBBS 1st and 2nd professional students 422/1402, 30.1%; antenatal women 300/1402, 21.4%) and 500 study subjects (postgraduate residents: obstetrics 50/500, 10%; physiology 25/500, 5%; medicine 25/500, 5%; MBBS 3rd professional students 400/500, 80%) were asked level 2 questionnaires. Antenatal women had significantly better basic knowledge than medical and paramedic trainees ( p < 0.001). Among level 2 respondents, obstetrics residents had the highest score followed by MBBS 3rd year professionals ( p < 0.001). Conclusion Antenatal women had better knowledge than medical and paramedical trainees due to intensive education and counselling at every point of contact. Significant learning gaps exist in medical and paramedic trainees which need attention. For the advanced level of awareness, regular continued medical education programs are required.