Gestational Diabetes Test- Did you have it?

[Coffee3]

Hi all,

Just wondering whether I need to attend the appointment for this. The only reason it’s been offered is that my BMI is very slightly over the cut off (30.4)

I will be having it late because we’ve been on holiday and I’m having growth scans at 28, 32 and 36 weeks (so any size issues would be picked up then) and so far all has been going well with this pregnancy.

I’m not entirely certain of the benefits to the test, but I might be being biased in my thinking because it’s difficult for me to take a morning off work (I’m in charge and sorting cover on the day of my appointment is proving tricky, but I can change the appt I expect) and I suspect the drink will make me sick on an empty stomach! I don’t know if I’m allowed to take my antisickness meds that morning?

Basically have any of you lovely ladies decided against the test for any reason or am I being really silly to even consider not going?

Thanks!

I would go.

Thanks @cameltoeflappyflapflap - do you mind me asking why?

Because gestational diabetes can be very serious and would mean you need extra care and monitoring. If they think you fit the criteria for the test, I would take the test

Why are you having the extra growth scans? This isn't usually common unless there is another underlying issue. Which makes me think the GTT isn't just because of your BMI.

I was similar to you and had the test done in my first pregnancy with no issues.

In my second pregnancy I was measuring big and had a large baby. I was also having glucose in my urine. So I had 3 GTT in total with my youngest. I never considered not having the test.

Why would you not take the test? Gestational diabetes is actually a serious condition. For the sake of your baby, have the test. Your BMI suggests you are obese, which is a risk factor. Even slim women can suffer from GD though.

I has it. Drink wasn't nasty, didn't make me sick, worst bit was getting a numb bum waiting. I would definitely get it, it can be serious and you'd never forgive yourself if you chose not to know.

Extra growth scans are from BMI of 35 in my area, surprised you're getting them at 30.4 if there's nothing else of concern.

So I was put forward for GTT when pregnant last year in error (the calculated my BMI wrong) but I went for the test anyway and found out I had it!

It can cause several complications so it’s definitely worth doing!

If you have diabetes, even if your baby isn't big its still at risk of low blood sugar.
Knowing you have it, means the baby can have their sugar checked and could save their life.

Thanks all.
Hadn’t realised there could be no other symptoms until I read up on it. The midwife had worded it as if it might not be necessary which is why I questioned it.

To those who asked- Growth scans are what the consultant has organised due to continued sickness (hyperemesis) and previous recurrent miscarriage- I’ll check about the antisickness medication!

My wife had diabetes with a BMI of 18. I have it with a BMI of 24. Using BMI to select for screening leads to a lot of underdiagnosis. (Where we live, every single pregnant woman is screened.)
I even passed the test, but because my fasting score was on the line I was treated for it anyway. A few weeks later, my fasting values were completely out of control, and I never would have known. I've ended up on a fairly high dose of insulin.
If the growth scans pick something up, it will mean the baby has already been affected and has a much higher chance of getting diabetes themselves.

I declined gtt first pregnancy with bmi 30.8 (I’m a midwife also) and had a maceosomic baby at 36weeks.
2nd Baby I had gtt at 16weeks -normal, repeat at 28weeks and was normal but the 2nd blood test was upper end of normal. 39weeks had a very large baby and polyhydramnios and was decided I probably have late onset GDM again. Was induced that week.

Would definitely recommend GTT if you fit thhave criteria

Please have it. He started measuring slightly big at 26 weeks. For some reason I passed the first one at 28 weeks but did have it and they found out at 33 weeks. I felt awful for those weeks, sluggish, sleeping for a whole day. If undetected and untreated it can cause health problems for baby. My little one had to have blood sugar monitoring 3 times a day, and was awful seeing him with the jitters when he was born. It can cause them problems later on. You might not have it but it's worth checking! You also dont need to be obese or overweight to have it.

I refused it. With each baby, sugar started showing in my urine at around 33w, and I became very thirsty. But I controlled it with diet. I had fasting bloods taken, and within a week of the symptoms beginning they were completely gone - no excess sugar, no excess thirst.

Midwives and consultants accepted this, though would have put more pressure on me had I not been able to control my glucose levels with diet. (I was under consultant care, and had more scans than usual, because of fibroids.)

I did not want to be labelled unnecessarily as diabetic, and have an unnecessarily over-medicalised labour. Had I been unable to control my sugar levels by diet, I would have accepted that it was necessary for my baby's safety to go down the GTT route.

All my babies were large, long but not fat, and born by SVD. They had APGARs of 9-10 and no glucose issues whatsoever.

If you need to modify your diet to control your blood sugar, the label of diabetic wouldn’t be unnecessary, it would be correct. I‘m controlling my levels during the day through diet alone.
Having had diabetes just for a few months and seeing what a pain in the arse it is the last thing I want to do is to increase my son‘s chances of having it. It’s also important for me to know that I had it so that I can be tested again after pregnancy and in my forties.
I will be having my son prematurely due to an unrelated reason (vasa previa) and it won’t be a picnic. I‘d feel awful to have him early because of issues with diabetes that I could have avoided.

baby would have high blood sugar not low, medication the mother takes for diabetes may cause baby to have low blood sugar.