The aim was to explore beliefs about health, illness and health care in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) managed in two different organisations based on diabetology or obstetrics.

Semi-structured interviews were made in two different clinics. clinic A: a specialist diabetes clinic with regular contact with a diabetologist and antenatal care provided by a midwife

clinic B: a specialist maternity clinic providing regular contact with a midwife, a structured programme for self-monitoring of blood glucose and insulin treatment, and a 1-day diabetes class by an obstetrician, a diabetologist, a midwife and a dietician. The clinics were located at two different university hospitals in Sweden.

Participants were a consecutive sample of Swedish women diagnosed with GDM; 13 managed in clinic A and 10 managed in clinic B.

The findings showed that women described their perceptions of as well-being, being healthy and freedom from disease. All respondents reported a delay in the provision of information about GMD and an information gap about GDM and the management of the condition, from diagnosis until the start of treatment at the specialist clinic. Respondents from clinic A expressed fear about future development of type 2 diabetes. Women from clinic B discussed different causes of GDM, and many claimed that health-care staff informed them that GDM was a transient condition during pregnancy. Respondents from clinic A reported a conflict in their treatment of pregnancy and GDM as two different conditions.

Beliefs differed and were related to the health-care model chosen.