More than half of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes report feeling judged by healthcare providers based on their blood glucose results or assumptions about their diet and exercise habits, according to new research from King's College London and University College Cork. The findings, based on a survey of 1,800 UK women, reveal a troubling gap between medical care and emotional support during a vulnerable time in pregnancy.

What Is Gestational Diabetes and Why Does It Matter?

Gestational diabetes is a form of high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy, affecting roughly one in 20 pregnancies in the UK. Unlike type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it typically resolves after birth, but it requires careful monitoring and management during pregnancy to prevent complications for both mother and baby. The condition develops when a pregnant woman's body cannot produce enough insulin to handle blood sugar levels.

While the medical aspects of gestational diabetes are well understood, the emotional and psychological toll on women has been largely overlooked. The new research, funded by Diabetes UK, shines a light on this hidden burden.

How Does Stigma Affect Women's Mental Health and Medical Care?

The psychological impact of a gestational diabetes diagnosis is significant and widespread. According to the study, more than two-thirds of women, 68 percent, reported anxiety at diagnosis, while 58 percent felt upset and 48 percent experienced fear. These emotional responses don't fade quickly; 61 percent of women said the condition negatively affected their feelings about future pregnancies.

What's particularly concerning is how stigma influences women's healthcare decisions. When women feel judged or blamed, they may avoid attending appointments or delay seeking care, potentially increasing the risk of serious complications. Nearly half of women, 49 percent, felt judged for having gestational diabetes, while 47 percent felt judged because of their body size. More than 80 percent felt other people did not understand the condition, and more than a third, 36 percent, concealed their diagnosis from others.

The stigma extended well beyond pregnancy. One in four women, 25 percent, continued to experience depression or anxiety postpartum, and more than a third, 36 percent, felt abandoned by healthcare services after giving birth.

Where Does the Judgment Come From?

Stigma surrounding gestational diabetes comes from multiple sources, creating a compounding effect on women's wellbeing. Healthcare settings, which should be safe spaces for support, were a significant source of judgment. In clinical environments, 48 percent of women reported that professionals made assumptions about their diet and exercise, and 52 percent felt judged based on their blood glucose results.

Beyond healthcare providers, women faced harmful stereotypes from family, friends, and society at large. Focus group participants described being labeled as "lazy," having "poor eating habits," or "lacking willpower." Comments from loved ones included remarks such as "should you be eating that?" and "you must have eaten too much, that's why you have gestational diabetes." These everyday interactions, even when well-intentioned, deepened the sense of shame and isolation.

Many women described a loss of control and a sense of disruption during pregnancy. Nearly two-thirds, 64 percent, felt they were denied a normal pregnancy, while 76 percent reported a lack of control over their pregnancy.

Steps to Support Women With Gestational Diabetes

• Structured Emotional Support: Healthcare systems should provide targeted counseling and mental health resources alongside medical management, recognizing that emotional wellbeing directly impacts physical health outcomes and treatment adherence.
• Provider Training on Compassionate Care: Medical professionals need education on the psychological impact of gestational diabetes diagnosis and how to communicate about blood glucose results and lifestyle factors without judgment or blame.
• Postpartum Mental Health Monitoring: Women should receive continued emotional support after delivery, including screening for depression and anxiety, since one in four women experience these conditions postpartum.
• Community Education and Destigmatization: Public awareness campaigns can help family members and friends understand that gestational diabetes is not caused by personal failings, reducing harmful stereotypes and unsolicited comments.

Researchers are calling for meaningful action to protect women's mental and physical health.

"Stigma and emotional distress are far more common in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes than many realise. Everyday interactions, even with those who mean well, can deepen this harm, shaping women's emotional wellbeing and the choices they feel able to make. It's clear that meaningful action is needed to protect women's mental and physical health," stated Angus Forbes, lead researcher from King's College London.

Angus Forbes, Lead Researcher at King's College London

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, director of research and clinical at Diabetes UK, emphasized the urgency of the issue.

"Stigma can have a dangerous and devastating impact on pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes, particularly at a time when emotions and anxieties may already be heightened. We know that stigma can lead to shame, isolation and poorer mental health, and may discourage people from attending healthcare appointments, potentially increasing the risk of serious complications," she explained.

Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, Director of Research and Clinical at Diabetes UK

Who Is at Higher Risk for Gestational Diabetes?

Understanding risk factors can help women and healthcare providers identify those who may need additional support and monitoring. Risk factors for gestational diabetes include living with overweight or obesity, having a family history of type 2 diabetes, and being from a South Asian, Black or African Caribbean, or Middle Eastern background.

Women with these risk factors may face compounded stigma, as societal assumptions about body size and ethnicity can intersect with judgment about their diagnosis. This makes compassionate, individualized care even more critical.

The Path Forward

The research makes clear that gestational diabetes is not simply a medical condition to be managed with diet and monitoring. It is a life event that profoundly affects women's emotional wellbeing, their sense of agency during pregnancy, and their mental health long after delivery. Addressing stigma is not a luxury; it is essential healthcare. When women feel supported and understood rather than blamed and judged, they are more likely to engage with their care, attend appointments, and achieve better outcomes for themselves and their babies. The time for change is now.