Narratives of Gestational Diabetes Provide a Lens to Tailor Postpartum Prevention and Monitoring Counseling

This study analyzed women's narratives about their GDM‐affected pregnancies to (1) identify different patterns (narrative archetypes) that capture the GDM experience; (2) explore how these patterns relate to awareness of ongoing risk after pregnancy and affect participati on in self‐care, monitoring, and preventive health care going forward; and (3) explore the use of identified patterns to tailor conversations with patients during prenatal and postpartum care to their actual perceptions and concerns about future risk.MethodsOpen ‐ended interviews elicited women's experiences and perspectives about GDM and its management. A narrative analysis first identified segments of text related to risk and behaviors and then applied Frank's narrative archetypes (restitution, chaos, quest) as an interpretive lens.ResultsInterviews were completed in English (n = 15), Spanish (n = 7), and Haitian Creole (n = 7). We found distinct patterns: stories of restitution (n = 13), quest (n = 4), chaos (n = 4), and mixed narratives (n = 7). Using these archetypes, we found differences in how women respond to challenges related to disease complexity, treatment, and future risks. These patterns led to marked differences in the steps women took to prevent early onset type 2 diabetes.DiscussionFrank's narrative types provided insight into women's responses to clinical protocols, health care advice, and subsequent prevention actions. A restitution pattern may result in premature closure and lack of...
Source: Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health - Category: Midwifery Authors: Tags: Original Research Source Type: research