Oral Presentation Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Annual Scientific Meeting 2012

Pre-Pregnancy  (#2)

Angela Komiti 1
  1. The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia

Pregnancies complicated by pre-existing diabetes are at risk of poorer outcomes compared to the general population. Pre-pregnancy care (PPC), a formalized approach to preparing a diabetic woman for pregnancy, has been found to reduce the adverse outcomes. Despite the compelling case for PPC, the participation rate in PPC program is less than optimal. The reasons for the poor uptake of PPC are yet unclear. The aim of this study was to further our understanding of the psychological factors associated with the non-uptake of PPC, particularly attitudes, beliefs and perceptions, using the theoretical framework of three health behaviour models: The Health Belief Model (HBM), The Social Cognitive Model (SCT), and The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Participants in the study were 123 adult women with Type 1 (66%) and Type 2 (34%) diabetes. Just over half (55.3%) of the sample had participated in PPC. Participants completed self-report questionnaires. The results of the study are discussed.