We’re working on an initiative to improve gestational diabetes care during and after pregnancy by deepening understanding of the cultural barriers experienced by South Asian women.
The Empowering Women from South Asian Communities project - a £75,000 initiative delivered in partnership with the Association of South Asian Midwives and funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing - also aims to support healthcare professionals to deliver more culturally responsive care.
What we are doing
If you have a South Asian, Black or African Caribbean or Middle Eastern background then it makes you more likely to develop gestational diabetes. And when it comes to managing gestational diabetes and preventing type 2 diabetes, South Asian groups can often be impacted by differences in culture, religion, language, and health beliefs.
Earlier this year, we developed a gestational diabetes Traffic Light Tool (PDF, 340KB) which has received very positive feedback from women whose first language is not English.
To hear more from South Asian women and their experiences of gestational diabetes, and to get their feedback on our Traffic Light Tool, we conducted focus groups in Birmingham and Exeter. We asked them for their experiences about cultural expectations, stigma and communication challenges around pregnancy and health.
Experiences on cultural expectations
Some women in our groups reported feeling confused themselves about gestational diabetes, which made it difficult to explain to family and friends.
Several participants said they relied on social media and influencers for health information rather than official sources, because they found NHS guidance more difficult to understand and process. There was also a widespread feeling that NHS leaflets and materials available were less culturally relevant to them.
We're sharing these findings with NHS partners through the Diabetes UK Pregnancy Conference, healthcare professional events, and wider clinical networks and in 2027 the Burdett Trust Women's Health Conference with the Association of South Asian Midwives.
We're also supporting interested health systems to embed our Traffic Light Tool as a routine part of care following gestational diabetes.
Stigma experiences
Research we funded this year revealed the scale of stigma experienced by women with gestational diabetes, highlighting the significant toll on their wellbeing.
More than half of pregnant women with gestational diabetes experience stigma. This comes from healthcare professionals, family, friends, and wider society - both during pregnancy and beyond birth.
The women in our groups spoke of feelings of guilt and shame about their gestational diabetes, which often led them to hide their readings or diagnoses.
They said that relatives and friends were quick to offer advice, but this was often misguided, such as avoiding certain foods. Generational differences were also discussed as difficult to navigate. Most of the women we spoke to who had experienced gestational diabetes felt judged by their relatives and peers.
Our next steps to improve care
We are exploring a practical family guide to support a family-inclusive approach to gestational diabetes management and type 2 diabetes prevention, and raising awareness of the support needed throughout these communities.
We're also working with NHS systems to address gaps in care that prevent people with gestational diabetes accessing the support they needed.
We are also running a research study in the Midlands to explore the experiences of British-Pakistani women who have had gestational diabetes. This project will help us understand the care British-Pakistani women with gestational diabetes need, helping to make sure they receive more personalised and effective support..
As part of our initiative with the Burdett Trust, we will be participating in the 2026 South Asian Maternal Conference, where our work will be highlighted. This will provide an important opportunity to showcase emerging insights and raise awareness of the cultural barriers faced by South Asian women in diabetes and pregnancy care.
We also hosted an online session exclusively for healthcare professionals on 1 July, to explore how healthcare professionals and organisations can provide more culturally responsive support for South Asian women following gestational diabetes, and to highlight the importance of understanding the diverse experiences, needs and preferences within communities.
For example, we know that effective information sharing goes beyond translation. Visual resources, conversations, community-based approaches and opportunities for questions and discussion can all play an important role in supporting understanding.
If you have any concerns or questions about gestational diabetes, contact the Diabetes UK helpline either by email at helpline@diabetes.org.uk, or call us on 0345 123 2399.
