Abstract: ObjectiveTo explore the knowledge and attitude on gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)in pregnant women and to provide data for health education on GDM in pregnant women.MethodsFrom 2006 to 2007,arandom questionnaire and experimental test was conducted among 720 pregnant women in 4 hospitals.ResultsThe rates of knowing all basic knowledge on GDM were lower than 14%.There were statistical differences in knowledge rates between women with different duration of pregnancy,occupa tion,income and education level(P<0.05).Lower knowledged rate were observed among the women with some occupation(peasant, service workers)and those with lower income or education.The percen tages of knowing three basic knowledge on GDM of the pregnants with junior high school were 615, 7.6,and 2.2%.The percentages of admitting the necessity of GDM prevention and of willing to receive health education on GDM among the pregnant women were higher than 90%.ConclusionMost of pregnant women knew alittle of basic GDM knowledge,but the ratio of the need for GDM knowledge was high.