Addressing the challenges of GDM detection and management in low resources-settings

India is one of the diabetes capitals of the world, and has among the highest rates of women with GDM, with more than 5 million women affected in the country each year. At 66 million, India currently has the second highest number of people with type 2 diabetes in the world; almost half of these cases are women. IDF estimates that 6 million births are affected by some form of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy in India alone, of which 90% are due to GDM.

The IDF Women in India with GDM Strategy (WINGS) project was the first-ever strategy to tackle the rising prevalence of GDM in India. This project aimed to develop a context-adapted model approach to care in low-resource settings which confronts the widespread challenges in GDM screening and management. The project developed a standardised approach to GDM care, seeking to improve the health outcomes of women with GDM and their new-borns, strengthening the capacity of selected health facilities to address GDM. This included developing additional materials for health outreach workers.

The WINGS project was developed through a partnership between the IDF, the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) in Chennai, India, and the Abbott Fund, the philanthropic foundation of the global healthcare company Abbott. Seven rural and urban collaborating health centres were identified in Tamil Nadu State (South India). An Expert Committee was set up to advise the project implementation according to a two-step process that involved:

1. Developing a curriculum and accompanying tools to train healthcare professionals (HCPs) and women on GDM screening and management (multidisciplinary target group of physicians, diabetologists, dieticians, nurses)
2. Developing a context-specific model of care for GDM, incorporating a curriculum.

Results

Following implementation of the IDF WINGS Model of Care for GDM, women with GDM were found to have pregnancy outcomes comparable to women without GDM. These positive results suggest that the IDF Model of Care was successful in preventing adverse outcomes in Women with GDM.

The IDF WINGS Model of Care for GDM offers a comprehensive package of tools for every level of care which includes guides for health care professionals providing care for women diagnosed with GDM, community health workers who follow up women in remote areas having limited medical access and also to pregnant women with educational games to improve awareness on GDM.

Resources

Click on the images below to download the elements of the IDF WINGS educational toolkit. 

IDF WINGS Summary Report	IDF GDM Model of Care	IDF GDM Training Manual	Educational Manual