Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common diseases in the world. The diabetic female in childbearing age is at high risk of delivering compromised newborns. This study was aimed to determine the awareness about the effect of maternal diabetes on infants among women of childbearing age in Saudi society. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi females in childbearing age. The data were collected using an online-based questionnaire which was prior tested and validated. Google form questionnaire was distributed to females in childbearing age in Saudi Arabia utilizing WhatsApp. Ethical approval was obtained through the Qassim Region Research Ethics Committee. All data analyses were carried out using the statistical package for the social sciences software version 21. Results: The prevalence of women with gestational DM was 160 (33.5%). The mean score related to awareness was 3.59 (SD 2.35) out of 10 points. We also observed that four out of five women were classified as having a poor level of awareness toward the impact of maternal DM on the infant. Furthermore, more than half of the women (58.8%) experienced a complication during pregnancy, and the most commonly known complication was dystocia and miscarriage. Besides, we accounted for marital status, educational level, and diagnosed with DM to be the factors being associated with awareness toward maternal DM. Conclusion: The awareness of women toward the impact of maternal DM on the infant was relatively poor. Being single, being less educated, and being non-DM were the factors being associated with a poor level of awareness toward the impact of maternal DM on the infant.
Key words: Gestational DM, awareness, pregnant mother, childbearing age.
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