Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

1 2 ··· 5 6 7 8 9 10

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

Gestational Diabetes - Large abdominal circumference

244 replies

PamRavenscroft · 19/11/2013 08:27

Hi, I'm 31 weeks and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes a few weeks ago. I'm trying to control with diet & exercise but my fasting levels are often very slightly over (5.1, 5.2, 5.3). My hospital has a very low cut off point of 5.0 for fasting. I was prescribed metformin but asked to wait till the results of my growth scan, which I had today, before I started taking it. All baby's measurements were nice & normal except the abdominal circumference which was on the 95th percentile. I am trying to work out the significance of this - obviously it means the sugar is going to the baby, but other than its tummy it isn't 'big'. I hate taking medication when pregnant but am I being an idiot for not? As my levels are so borderline I have been reluctant to start on meds but after today's scan I just don't know what to think. Any advice, previous experience etc. would be hugely appreciated! I lurk on the Jan 2014 thread but haven't posted yet - I'm hoping Tarka will see this!!

OP posts:

Report

TarkaTheOtter · 13/12/2013 21:15

Hi vjones! Great to have someone on the thread whose been using insulin for a while! Seems like hospitals are very attentive to pregnant diabetics (of all types) so I'm sure you'll be well monitored.

teri it would be interesting to know why they want your readings so low. I'd be interested to know what fasting readings non-diabetics have. Surely no one would be able to get those readings with diet control alone so your hospital must put more than 10% of gd sufferers on medication (supposedly the uk figure).

VJONES1985 · 13/12/2013 21:20

Yep, am very used to it all, have generally good control but have had my very fair share of hypos/hypers, hospital stays, fits (and even a coma) in my time!

terilou87 · 13/12/2013 21:32

Hi vjones congratulations on your pregnancy!
tarka yes they are very happy go lucky with the meds, I was put on metformin before id even tried to diet control as consultant was concerned babys abdomen was bigger in proportion to rest of him. I didn't agree with metformin and my numbers were over 5 times in the week before my next appointment so they put me straight on insulin but by over it was only in the 8,s. Idk they seem ott with controlling sugars but I suppose they know more than me about it

VJONES1985 · 13/12/2013 21:35

That does seem ott - if my sugars are 8, I'm pleased with that! Have been much higher than that many times. But yes, they must know what they're doing.

GreatJoanUmber · 13/12/2013 22:39

Just popping in in answer to Tarka's question - I'm not diabetic, not have I ever had GD, but I always have to take the test because of family history.
So this time my fasting level was 3.9, and two hours after the sugar drink my levels were 5.2.
I'm almost a bit worried as this seems too low/almost hypoglycaemic, and I do get (throughout in my life, not just in pregnancy) "low blood sugar episodes" where I feel faint, weak, shaky, break out in cold sweats etc. However, no one has ever commented on that so I suppose it's meant to be normal??

terilou87 · 14/12/2013 04:27

Greatjoan I think for a non diabetic that is normal, since iv been diagnosed iv tested my dp on loads of occasions just out of curiosity and his fasting is always between 3.7 and 4.5, I tested him after he was drinking all day so loads of sugar and he was 4.7.
With the hypo's I didn't know what they were till I had gd but thinking about them I think I used to get mild ones before I had gd when I didn't eat for a while. I don't know if that's normal or not. Did you mention it to your midwife?

GreatJoanUmber · 14/12/2013 13:26

Tarka I didn't mention it to my MW. However, many years back before we TTC #1 (but were thinking of doing so), I went to see my GP about it as I was worried it might mean I'm diabetic. The hypos were so bad sometimes that I'd have to pull the car over when driving as I felt out of control and about to faint. He did blood tests but when I called in for the results I was just told 'not diabetic' and everything was fine! Never told me why I was having these episodes though.

terilou87 · 14/12/2013 23:18

Finally! The nuts before bed worked 4.7 reading this morning, thank you ladies for the good advice

PamRavenscroft · 15/12/2013 10:32

Yay teri - finally! Congrats on your pregnancy vjones

OP posts:

VJONES1985 · 15/12/2013 10:36

Thanks! Am still feeling anxious about things but I'm sure it'll be fine. Will be five weeks on Tuesday.

terilou87 · 15/12/2013 13:50

Ahh vjones before you know it you will be 30 weeks and moaning about back ache
pam another morning on target, 5.0 whoop whoop, but I'm I'll today and after my usual breakfast same portion size and everything which I usually have a reading of between 5.5 and 6.5 after an hour I had a mahoosive 9.7. Going to have to be really strict with my diet today.

VJONES1985 · 15/12/2013 14:01

Hope so. Am worried that I won't get that far!

stopgap · 18/12/2013 03:28

Is anyone else on insulin/medication but being allowed to wait until 40 weeks before an induction?

I went to the clinic today, and because the baby is on the 17th centile/my weight gain is low, the doctor thinks I'll be fine to go until 40 weeks.

I'm glad on the one hand, but suspect that because DS1 came at 40+5, and because my menstrual cycle is about 34 days, the chances of being induced still remain quite high.

PamRavenscroft · 18/12/2013 04:36

I can't answer that I'm afraid stopgap - my baby is measuring big so I'm hoping for an early induction. Had growth scan yesterday & baby is on the 85th percentile - they estimate its 6lb 13 already, and I'm 35+5. Am quietly terrified - dd1 was born by now at a nice reasonable 5lb 6 so the prospect of anything much bigger than that is a little daunting!
From what the doctors have said to me, I would imagine that if there isn't any medical need to induce you, they will leave you as long as possible - they explained that there is greater risk of an emergency cesarean if you're induced so they have to weigh up all the pros and cons. If your baby isn't big, I guess they would rather try and have things happen naturally.
What I don't get is if my blood sugars have all been well controlled since starting on the medication, why am I still having such a whopper?

OP posts:

stopgap · 18/12/2013 19:30

Isn't it impossible trying to figure all of this out, PamRavenscroft?

Since I started testing three weeks ago, I have only had three fasting numbers under 5, hence they started me on insulin almost immediately. I was upped from 12 to 14 units yesterday, and still my blood sugar was at 6 this am. My daytime numbers are really well controlled by diet, and I guess if the baby remains small, the only real issue is the increased GD risk of the placenta failing quicker beyond 40 weeks.

When will your doctor make a decision about when to induce?

PamRavenscroft · 19/12/2013 00:12

My fasting levels were always the issue too - my diet control was great but I just couldn't get those ones down far enough. Have you tried a bedtime snack?
My next appointment is on Xmas eve so I really hope I get an induction date then, and that it's as soon as possible - but being this time of year I'm sure it won't be my wishes that are the deciding factor, more the staffing levels between Xmas & new year.

OP posts:

stopgap · 19/12/2013 18:45

I have done the snack thing to death, varying food groups and portion sizes, but they just won't budge downwards. Well, they have a fraction with the new dose of insulin. Hopefully this trend will continue!

Rowgtfc72 · 19/12/2013 20:24

Just happened upon this thread! I had gd with dd. She was induced at bang on 37weeks although I was offered a c section at 38. I was on insulin twice a day and my levels were always questioned. they wanted it round 3.5 which made me feel awful! At 35 weeks she was measuring 43 weeks and after a scan a week for seven weeks they said it would be dangerous to go to term as she would be more than ten pounds.all her measurements were big.
I was induced and after 13 hrs of labour dd arrived three weeks early weighing 8lb 6oz.she went in a hot cot and escaped scbu by the skin of our teeth, only because she was borderline premature. We stayed in for four days.
Dd is still on the very top centile for height and weight and I often wonder if there was a bit too much made of her size because of the gd.

PamRavenscroft · 20/12/2013 01:25

That's interesting Rowgtfc72, and encouraging to hear that you were able to have a vaginal birth despite concerns about the size of the baby, I'm really hoping I manage the same!
3.5 is very low isn't it? I've never had a reading that low!

OP posts:

Madasabox · 20/12/2013 12:23

I had GD with my last pregnancy and have it with this one too. I was diet controlled last time, but looks like I might not be this time as they are suggesting metformin already. Having readings of 3.6 2 hours post breakfast (which my consultant said didnt matter) and a few readings over 7, which I didnt think was that bad. I am only 22 weeks though so I think they think it might get worse. Last time though I was induced at 40+2 and had a 8lb 6oz baby naturally. I really don't want to be induced this time. Does anyone know if I can refuse induction if they have put me on metformin ?

sisterofcaleb · 20/12/2013 15:13

Have they explained why they are considering metformin madasabox? Have you had any numbers out of their target ranges (I wasn't sure from your message above, it seemed not?)?

heartisaspade · 20/12/2013 19:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Email address

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

TarkaTheOtter · 20/12/2013 20:24

Hi everyone! Congrats heart!!

mad if you are getting high (above 7) readings at 22 weeks there's a pretty high chance you will need metformin and quite possibly insulin based on the experiences of people I know with gd - sorry.

I'm nearly 37 weeks now and have my induction date for 10days time. My insulin requirements have increased a lot in these last few weeks.

I'm trying to keep really tight control to avoid neonatal hypoglycemia and have also been been antenatally expressing colostrum in case baby can't latch. I now have two feeds worth at least which is reassuring as last time I felt a lot of pressure when dd was born tongue tied and was slow to take to breastfeeding.

stopgap · 21/12/2013 00:38

heartisaspade that is exactly how I feel about the whole GD saga. My numbers are within range, aside from fasting, and at 6-6.5 they're hardly sky high. I feel well, the baby is measuring small etc. and as for the inexact science that is the sonogram, don't get me started. So why the hell am I stuck with a birth that will involve induction, stringent monitoring etc.

However, more importantly, huge congratulations on the birth of your baby boy!

Rowgtfc72 · 21/12/2013 08:57

Heart,congratulations!
Same thoughts as you. Dd wasn't huge showed no problems with her blood sugars and was a big baby at 37 weeks just because she was a big baby!
I understand once gd is detected they have to play it safe, but.
Luckily my consultant gave me the choice and I got the natural birth I wanted.
Congrats again on your little boy.

Flip

1 2 ··· 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.