Did you refuse your GTT? Did it put you at high risk?

[Evergreen17]

I managed to get myself over worried now about the GTT. I am looking for people that either refuse the test on the grounds that they thought it not relevant or people that failed the test and stayed low risk or were moved to high.
I am not looking for people to tell me to have it anyway and what is the big deal, so please don't. I want people with experience and sympathetic to my problem.
So I just dont know why the midwife at the booking did this because the second midwife I saw didnt understand either, but I had a normal BMI at booking and no diabetes history. Apart from grandma but it shouldn't count as she got it when older and they only look at parents. So now I am worried that if I dont pass the test (my friend is a bit of an expert and has sent me research and lots of people dont pass the test because it is a crazy amount of glucose if you are not use to it) then they will put me High risk and I wont be able to have the birth I want 
Any stories?
Please note I suffer from anxiety so be gentle

No, my GD was picked up thanks to the GTT. If I hadn't have had it I have no idea when it would have been picked up if at all . As the GTT showed GD I immediately started testing blood multiple times a day and my glucose levels were sky high. Medication was started immediately.

If you did have false positive the mistake would be discovered in my opinion. The medication would make you feel terrible and your blood glucose levels would be super low. If you are diagnosed with GD which seems super unlikely don't see it as a final issue. It can be mild and controlled by just cutting out sweets or can't be at the further end of the scale needing medication like mine. There is a fab website called gestational diabetes uk mums. Have a look. Many of the mums on there have had "normal" births. Including water births.

Sorry I know you don't want my kind of reply...

I wasn't tested for gd (as I also didn't have a high bmi of family history). I was finally tested at a bit over 37 weeks and did have it. I definitely had it as when I changed my diet I felt so much better (I had a long list of other medical problems, hence why I didn't know my diet was affecting me so much). Even if they do tell you you have it you're the one who monitors/controls it. You can still have a natural birth if you want one. Being classed as high risk doesn't always mean much.

I had the GTT test (fasting 12 hours prior to the 3 blood tests and glucose) and was found I had GD despite no high risk indicators.

It was fine, mine was able to be controlled by diet and it really just meant I got a few extra scans to check on bs us growth and my antenatal care/ appointments were OB led rather than midwife led (this is in Australia).

However it was the sudden onset of high blood pressure that meant I had to be induced at 38w 4d, nothing to do with the GD. There are so many things that can affect when and how we give birth, please try not to get too hung up on the GTT OP

Ava, Cwtc, captain, hopelessly very useful responses thank you so much!!
Shimmy there is 1 pool in the maternity ward that they will use if you are adamant you want it. Problem is that I am very bad at being pushy and demanding so I will be sent somewhere else and comply
Caz interesting. I am 35, maybe this is why the first midwife put me down??? I think as you say the best call is to chat to midwife and hope that she is sympathetic. They can use my blood or urines too..
Thanks for sharing that itslike, good to get different stories. Could I ask you why they refer you to do the test in the first place? Glad that all went well and that you got the chance to test bloods for a bit before jumping into medication, and then this worked for you.
Thanks for the website link!!!! This gives me hope
Seven I do want your kind of reply!!! I want stories from both sides, thank you. And you give me reassurance saying if I take the test and gives a positive it is not the end of the natural birth route. Thanks. I am going to start controlling my diet from today!

Feeling thanks. It makes a lot of sense, what you said about focusing on something and then something else is actually what changes the plan. I hear you. Thank you

It sounds as though you don't have any risk factors, and your first midwife was mistaken in thinking you needed it because of your grandparent having it. Just double check at your next midwifery appointment, if you don't need it they will cancel it. If there's a risk factor that they have found that you weren't aware of, they can discuss it with you then and you can make your decision of whether to have it.

They referred me for the GTT as I had 1+ glucose in my pee at an antenatal appt. it was barely anything but the midwife had a student in with her and wanted to show the student the paperwork to do a GTT so it was total luck! I would likely have had glucose in my pee at the next appt but getting checked early def was good for the baby

I have had gd three times, all insulin controlled and passed all three gtt tests ( ie. Normal results). It was only picked up because I had to do 5x daily glucose checks due to having had it previously iykwim. My fasting glucose was always normal which is all the gtt measures. I'd still have it though if you have risk factors that have prompted them to request it.

Re. Pool on maternity ward- this is where you need your birthing partner to be standing up for you. I am bit like you but believe me during labour you can make your wishes well known

I have a normal BMI and no history of problems or diabetes or any previous pregnancies

Me too, yet I have been diagnosed with GD.

Could have been offered due to age. My hospital do it automatically for anyone aged 38+. Plus I also had a history of PCOS which put me at higher risk.
I don't think it automatically takes away all your birthing options if you do have GD. I think you could argue your case if you were at the lower end of the range and could control blood sugars with diet.

In my local trust the GTT is offered to everyone regardless of risk factors.
Ultimately it's your choice. Even if you received the appointment you don't have to go to it.
Fwiw I had it (I have high bmi and family history) it was a good excuse to get the morning off work and watch Netflix on my phone. I was barely eating at the time anyway and they did the first test at 8am and the next at 10 so it wasn't all that bad really. I was negative.

Following to read tomorrow. I'm a refuser too. I monitor bloods myself .

I've sent you a PM.

I am high risk anyway because I am 40. I also live in a place where the GTT is standard, so even though I have a BMI

Good to hear you are accessing all the medical info. I feel guilty now that I wasn't so thorough when I refused my GTT. As it turned out, there were no problems anyway, but possibly I could have been given / sought out more of the facts.

I refused because I am unable to fast at the best of times, let alone also look after my 2 yo DS having fasted overnight, drive a car, etc etc.

I was in the normal BMI bracket, had a really good diet, no family history, no ethnic history, 1st child was fine, etc.

The GP didn't seem overly concerned, he tried to persuade me once but could see I wasn't going to change my mind unless it became medically necessary.

I also regularly looked at the symptoms for GD but they didn't apply.

I didn't get the birth I wanted - but that's a whole other story! Try to stay open-minded about your birth plan, if you can whilst rending assertive of course!

Congratulations!

I cannot understand why anyone would opt not to have a GTT if it's been recommended to you...
I had a healthy BMI of 20, jo family history but had repeat traces of glucose, GTT was normal but im glad i had it tested as one thing less to worry about.
Surely it's best to know rather than not bother in case it might mean you cannot have the birth of your choice (which might not happen anyway, depending on how Labour progresses). Safe delivery of baby is paramount regardless whether or not you have your preferred method of birth.

Then perhaps best not to comment Christmasbaby2016

Thenewwaver interesting! So you did had GD but not picked up by test?!
Shimmy very good advice regarding partner. I am Mrs Yes and he is calmed but makes his wishes heard.
Tipboop yes I know it can happen but my question is why did they refer you to the test?
Lady thanks that would be good, to be able to discuss options, gives me hope thanks
Little thank you for the PM. I am on my phone so need to figure out how to check it.
Young very helpful and glad that you have a supportive team.
Thank you everyone!

Thanks lizard that experience is helpful to hear.
Christmas read the thread for lots of reasons people have given, you might understand then.
In my case read to understand why I think it was written on notes by mistake. Thank you.
Thank you for reminding me that the important thing is to deliver baby safely of course someone like me that seeks to have all the info they can before making an informed decision is someone that wants the best for baby. As it's every single mother on here. But thanks for pointing it out, though not needed.

I was diagnosed with GD having been referred for a gtt due to family history (DF is type 1). I was lucky in that my GD was controlled by diet and exercise, so the only differences in my care were three growths scans and consultant appointments between 28 and 36 weeks (I think...). Based on baby's size from the growth scans and midwife measuring bump at regular appointments, my midwife agreed there was no reason at that point for me to go straight to the labour ward for delivery, which is the default for anyone with diabetes in my area. She and I had an out of criteria chat, which was basically midwife explaining increased risks during labour as a result of GD and got signed off to go to the MLU when I went into labour rather than labour ward. So if you do decide to take the gtt, there's still plenty of options for your delivery depending on the results, especially if you were to manage GD by diet and exercise and no concerns about baby's size. Incidentally, as it turned out I ended up giving birth on the labour ward and had wonderful care so whilst it wasn't the birth I'd hoped for, it was all still fine! Best of luck for the rest of your pregnancy!

Evergreen can I recommend a book by Katherine Graves called 'hypnobirthing'? Asides from the actual hypnobirthing stuff (which I found quite useful) she has a brilliant section in it about rights regarding pregnancy and birth and having those conversations with the medical professionals when you may not all be on the same page.

I had a similar experience in that I was going for a vbac with my second and was met with a range of different responses from the various medical professionals I encountered along the way, much of it highly supportive but ranging to the absurd and downright upsetting and unprofessional. I understand where you are coming from when you talk about your birth options. For me it was never about saying 'I must have this kind of birth experience at any cost' (I thkught itnwent without saying thay thebsafety of my babybwas paramount, but that wasn't always the case with some doctors, one of which kept going on about mynrisk of having a dead baby ). It was about being treated respectfully and like the reasonably intelligent woman I am and credited with the ability to read and research too and to weigh up my risks and options and come to my own conclusions. Being treated as a high risk if you really aren't one (and that was the position I was in) is a horrible place to be. So yes, I strongly recommend getting hold of a copy of that book, it was extremely empowering and gave useful and practical strategies for dealing with these kinds of situations.

I should add on to the end of this that I have huge, massive respect for the medics and the care they give.

Hiya,
I can't remember very well how to recognise a PM but I thinknthere is a little red icon (bell?) on the 'my mumsnet' link at the top of the page 😀

Evergreen I took the GTT for my first pregnancy and and was diagnosed with borderline GD but still went on to have the water birth at a midwife led unit that I wanted.

I monitored my bloods following the test, kept my carbs down and my baby was a good weight so they deemed me low risk despite the initial result

You would be classed as high risk if diagnosed with GD but you would also get the help and support to make sure your baby is healthy!
It boils down to two choices have the test and deal with the results or don't have the test and possibly have a stillborn baby. It really doesn't matter what type of birth you want at the end of the day all that matters is that you and your baby are healthy and baby is born alive.

If it is any help - with my second birth i was hospitalised for one night due to an early show, 35 weeks. I was told by the consultant that i wouldn't be 'allowed' a home birth as planned. I then challenged that pronouncement and spoke to a consultant and went on to have a safe and successful home birth at 39 weeks. You are allowed to question things and challenge.