Table 4.

Identified themes and sub-themes

Major themes	Sub-themes
Heterogeneity of South Asian women	• Diversity in language, religion, practices and attitudes; but universality in ‘lack of self-care’
Health care providers: Major challenges ○ Information provision ○ Providing optimal GDM care	• Busy clinics, no time to individualise information • Difficulty managing vegetarians • Difficulty emphasising importance of exercise in pregnancy
Women: Major challenges ○ Information on lifestyle modification • Food • Exercise • Lack of culture specific advice	• Confusion – lifestyle messages unclear ▪ Relating to food types, portion size, cooking methods, timing ▪ Exercise in pregnancy • One size fits all approach – no advice pertaining to women’s cultural and regional food consumption patterns
Women’s GDM experiences: ○ GDM controlling pregnancy	• Constant state of hunger • Pregnancy experience related to checking blood sugars all the time • Increasing diagnosis of GDM in pregnancy