Exploring Virtual Care Experiences for Gestational Diabetes in Adults: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) care is increasingly provided virtually, yet a gap exists in evaluating virtual GDM care from a patient perspective. This study's objective is to explore the experience of receiving virtual care for GDM management to inform care optimization.

METHODS

We conducted a pragmatic qualitative descriptive study guided by Oben's patient experience framework and feedback from a person with lived experience. Eligible participants (≥18 years) had GDM within the past 2 years and received virtual GDM care in Alberta, Canada. We collected data from April to August 2025 through virtual semi-structured interviews and moderated focus group discussions that were coded inductively in NVivo using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 35 participants (20 metropolitan, 15 rural), the median age was 34 years, 16 (46%) identified as part of a racialized group, 17 (49%) experienced their first pregnancy, and 9 (26%) experienced GDM in previous pregnancies. Four themes were developed to describe patient experiences of virtual GDM care: 1) tension between convenience and drawbacks of virtual care; 2) aligning virtual care to the evolving needs of patients; 3) supporting a virtual therapeutic relationship; and 4) improving access with virtual care.

INTERPRETATION: Generally, participants appreciated virtual care for its ability to help them fit GDM care into their everyday lives, especially when faced with competing demands during pregnancy. Virtual care can be optimized to better address patient needs, including by improving access to GDM care rurally.