Maternity Foundation and World Diabetes Foundation Deliver Strong Results in Advancing Gestational Diabetes Care in India
In collaboration with the Indian government, the partnership between Maternity Foundation and World Diabetes Foundation is delivering clear, measurable gains in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) detection and care, contributing to strengthened maternal health services in India.
GDM affects five million women in India each year, increasing not only risks during pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia, but also of future health challenges, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in both the mother and the child. Pregnancy thus offers a unique window of opportunity to foster better health outcomes across generations, highlighting the urgent need for robust, high-quality maternal healthcare.
In March 2024, Maternity Foundation, in partnership with World Diabetes Foundation, launched a specialised GDM training module for midwives and other healthcare professionals within the Indian version of the Safe Delivery App. The new App version was subsequently piloted in clinics across selected districts of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
The Safe Delivery App is an evidence-based job aid and training tool designed to support midwives and other healthcare professionals in delivering quality care for mothers and newborns in low-resource and hard-to-reach settings. Maternity Foundation is working with the Indian government to scale the App across India, and with more than 240,000 downloads nationwide, it has already become a trusted digital companion for frontline providers.
The partners are proud to announce that the updated App is experiencing exceptionally strong adoption in India:
- To date, 16,700 users are engaging with the GDM module, alongside 33,000 users of the accompanying antenatal care (ANC) module. In combination, these modules support healthcare professionals in preventing, detecting, and managing GDM.
- Of these, 6,600 users of the GDM module and 24,800 of the ANC module have reached the expert level in the Safe Delivery’s App’s MyLearning Platform. This means they have completed the full learning pathway for these modules and are now equipped to apply evidence-based practices in their daily care.
These figures demonstrate a strong level of engagement among healthcare professionals committed to preventing and improving GDM management, likely reflecting the condition’s high prevalence in India and the associated risk of complications during pregnancy and birth.
The updated Safe Delivery App has been rolled out alongside training and other capacity building efforts. Using a training-of-trainers approach, Maternity Foundation has built the capacity of 67 trainers across two aspirational districts in Madhya Pradesh. These trainers are equipping more healthcare professionals with essential GDM screening and management skills, reaching 1044 healthcare professionals to date.
All in all, the project is delivering tangible benefits in Madhya Pradesh. The results include:
- Healthcare professionals are improving their skills to detect and manage GDM more effectively.
- Healthcare professionals are expanding screening and management capacity by integrating GDM care into routine maternal health services. Midwives and other healthcare professionals now conduct Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests (OGTT) and manage GDM in line with national protocols.
- Referral and supply chain systems are strengthening to support timely diagnosis and treatment.
The results show that the Safe Delivery App, combined with targeted training, strengthens GDM services sustainably and lays the foundation for scaling up across India and beyond, with over 30 language versions of the App available globally.
Learn more in our two-page brief on the initiative.
About the partners:
Maternity Foundation is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), working to ensure safer births for women and newborns – everywhere! Maternity Foundation builds skills and knowledge among midwives and other healthcare professionals through effective learning and training programmes and the proven digital health solution, the Safe Delivery App.
World Diabetes Foundation is a leading global funder of diabetes prevention and care projects in low- and middle-income countries. Through the power of partnership, World Diabetes Foundation strives to strengthen access to care, reduce the prevalence of diabetes, and advance the NCD agenda – building a healthier and more equitable world for all.
Contact:
Maternity Foundation: Julie Strøyer Rasmussen, Head of Programme Development: julie@maternity.dk
World Diabetes Foundation: Dr Radha Valaulikar, Programme Manager: rhvu@worlddiabetesfoundation.org
