Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Every year, thousands of people in Canada develop gestational diabetes, a condition that affects up to 20% of pregnancies and can lead to serious health problems for both parents and babies, such as early births and a higher risk of type 2 diabetes later in life. People undergoing fertility treatments are at the highest risk of developing gestational diabetes due to their unique health challenges. Despite this, there are currently no programs designed to help this underserved and underrepresented community reduce their risk before pregnancy.Our project aims to fill this gap by adapting Small Steps for Big Changes, a proven program that helps people make small, manageable changes to their diet, physical activity, and behaviors to lower their risk of diabetes. To ensure the program works for individuals on the waitlist for fertility treatments, we will collaborate with healthcare providers, fertility specialists, behavioral researchers, and people with lived experience of infertility. By combining their expertise, we will develop a tailored plan to offer to patients on the fertility waitlist. This collaboration will help ensure that the adapted program addresses real-world barriers and remains accessible to diverse populations, including those in rural and remote areas.The goal of our project is to empower this high-risk group with the tools and support they need to improve their health before pregnancy. By focusing on diet, physical activity, and behavioral change, we aim to prevent gestational diabetes, reduce long-term health risks for families, and address gaps in pre-pregnancy care. This work will improve health outcomes for this high-risk community and may lay the foundation for supporting other underserved populations across Canada.