Glucose Tolerance Test

[HaNNaHC92]

I'm 36+4w with baby no.3. I had the midwife yesterday and on measuring, I'm measuring 3 weeks ahead than I should be. She said I'm going to arrange for you to have a growth scan to check the baby and I'll call with an appointment. She called this morning but I missed the call so she left a voicemail. She's booked me in for this Friday but didn't say growth scan, she said GTT which I'm aware is a glucose test. I've never had a growth scan or GTT on my previous children, so I'm wondering if I'll have a growth scan and the glucose test together at the appointment. Could anyone elaborate? TIA.

Hi Op,

I thinks it's unlikely that they'll have made it as one appointment. GTT is done by nurses/midwifes, the scan will need a sonographer. I'd calm the midwife or the hospital.
But in general I wouldn't be worried at all, bump measurements from midwifes are ridiculously inaccurate, I personally don't think they should be allowed anymore.

I would thinks it unlikely that they would be done together, I had to to go hospital for growth scans but the GTT was done at a clinic. The GTT also took hours so I imagine therewill be some sort of covid guidelines to follow. I would give them a call to clarify.

Thanks for the above, both. Unfortunately I can't call my midwife to clarify anything. I have zero point of contact with her. She rang off an unknown ID and I don't have any other means to contact her. I'll turn up on Friday and see what they do/say

Can you call the number in your notes op? Did they not provide you with a contact number? Some GTT require fasting - did they explain the protocol with yours?

@Orchidflower1

Can you call the number in your notes op? Did they not provide you with a contact number? Some GTT require fasting - did they explain the protocol with yours?

The only numbers in my notes are a triage assessment unit for any problems before 37w and then the birth centre for 37w+. These are both for a different hospital to where I have to attend on Friday as well. No number left on the voicemail (which is bad as it could be I couldn't have attended Friday). My midwife said on the voicemail about not eating/drinking after 10pm the night before apart from water until I attend the appointment.

Sounds like a fasting glucose tolerance test. You are allowed to sip water but to not eat anything.

However, be aware as you may then be required to drink a glucose mixture drink and wait for a while until they take your blood to check how well your body responds to the glucose. I'm sure from memory it's an hours wait at least.

@HaNNaHC92 really hope you’re ok! Just a heads up the GTT can take a while but it isn’t scary.

You normally have to ensure you don’t eat for 12 hours. They take your blood and as you to drink a glucose solution, not move or eat anything for 2 hours or so, then they take your blood again.

It is a test to see how well your body metabolises/processes the glucose. Any food or exercise impacts the results which is why this is not permitted within the timeframes.

I had this in my first pregnancy as I was massive. My son was only 7 lbs 5 oz when born, it was all fluid (and flab) with me.

Make sure you take a book as you are likely to be there a while. The test itself is fine. They'll take some blood, then make you drink a sugar drink (it was orange flavoured and not as bad as I feared it may taste). After a couple of hours they will take your blood again, then you can go home. The results didn't take long to come through.

Hope the test goes well. Take a snack fit after the drink they give you can be sickly sweet particularly on an empty stomach.

I have my GTT on Friday. The process is that I have to be there early for a blood test. Then drink the glucose drink and will need to wait 2 hours at the hospital before another blood test is taken. I'm not allowed to go home in that time and need to rest in order to get accurate results. I've been told I can't have anything to eat or drink apart from water past 10pm the night before.

@Blughbablugh that is exactly the same as with mine. I’ve had GTT for each of my pregnancies due to having a direct relative with type 1 diabetes so being deemed higher risk for gestational diabetes.

All in all my time in hospital was around 3 hours including the wait times - followed by two blood tests 2 hours apart.

My understanding is they are very clear about fasting before the test. Also no physical activity or food to be eaten after the first blood test. They want to measure how your body responds to the glucose solution they give you following the first test. Any food or exercise would distort the test.

Good luck! Xx

Just an update. I attended my appointment this morning. As soon as I said I'm here for a glucose test the midwife in charge asked how many weeks I am (37w tomorrow). Her response immediately was we don't do glucose tests so late in pregnancy. So I explained what my original midwife had said Tuesday about having a growth scan and was then asked to wait in the room to see if it could all be sorted out. My original midwife turned up after a while and in short, said there's been a mess up and when she booked me in for a growth scan they said I needed a glucose test despite being at the end of my pregnancy more or less. She just went along with that. So today now, all I had done was two blood tests. Both for diabetes and I'm 99% sure I don't have that. I have zero symptoms and am well. I feel they just did it because I was there. They've now booked me in for a growth scan, 25 miles away next Wednesday. Although they've said we generally don't do scans for women measuring more than the weeks they are - in my case 3 weeks ahead and only tend to do them if they are querying excess fluid. So they've lied to get my scan done and I'm not even sure why I'm having it done now. Midwife just seems to think I'm having a big baby (my previous two children have both been big). Such a shambles and pain and the only positive for me right now is I get to see my baby one final time before he/she is born.