Gestational diabetes test

[pinklashes98]

Hi everyone, hope you are well.

I have my gestational diabetes test tomorrow, I just wanted to ask if anyone has had theirs recently and had to do the two hour wait?

I've heard some hospitals are just taking bloods and not going ahead with the 2 hour wait due to the current situation with COVID.

Thank you!

No experience of recently as my youngest is 9. But I’d be surprised if that’s the case because they aren’t going to get an accurate result. They take your blood then make you drink a sugary drink the reason to repeat 2 hours later is to see how your body processes the sugar. This is because after 2 hours your blood test levels should be the same or no more than a +2 difference.

I had one approx 8 weeks ago and had to do the full test, including the 2 hour wait and blood tests either side.

I had mine on Tuesday

My hospital did the 2 hour wait. I cant see the point of the test if they didnt.

Hi, I’m due one in the next week or so but have also been told it’s just a blood test now. They won’t do the 2 hour wait because of covid.

I had mine last week. They did the two hour wait. If you had driven to the hospital you were sent to wait in your car, if not you were sent back to the waiting room.

I've been told just a fasting blood test, which is fine with me. I don't want to be hanging about a hospital of all places for two hours given current circumstances

Also been advised it'll be a fasting blood test when I have mine x

I had mine on Thursday and did the two hour wait so I sat in the car in the car park. I’m in the North West if that helps!

I had mine on Wednesday and did have the 2hr wait in the waiting room. They wanted people to stay on site in case blood pressure dropped and they were taken ill. My hospital was super clean (repeated cleaning whilst I was there) and everyone wore masks. Got my results the next day.

I had mine last week and just did the fasting blood test (no two hour wait) x

I've not even been invited for one... A bit pissed off now I've found out I had criteria that would require one i.e. BMI over 30 at start of pregnancy. I'm 27 weeks.

Morning everyone, thank you for all the replies!

I guess I'll find out tomorrow, will take a book with my in case I'm having to wait for 2 hours.

@27weeksBaked oh no! That's not good at all, I would chase them up on that. I'm also feeling all over the place as I've had very few midwife appointments, just hoping all is ok!

I had the fasting blood test OP. For those above saying it can't be accurate, they wouldn't waste their time on it if it wasn't. It can be less accurate after 32 weeks hence most people having it earlier, but it's essentially the same test they use to diagnose type 2 diabetes in non pregnant people and can measure your average blood sugar over the last 3 months.

It does seem to vary from trust to trust as to what they're doing but your appointment letter might shed light on it. You definitely have to fast regardless and take a book just in case you do have to wait around for 2 hours

You should know if it's the 2 hour wait as you have to not have anything to eat or drink for 6 ish hours beforehand.

The 2 hour wait is more accurate and will pick up more borderline cases. My gestational diabetes wouldn't have been picked up with the stand alone test. I straddle 2 trusts and the GP/midwife was still doing the 2 hour one. My booking hospital were doing the stand alone one and so did it for their records.

I recently had mine, I attended the clinic for bloods and the glucose drink and then was sent home to sit on the sofa with instructions not to do anything but sit and repax and to return for the next lot of bloods at the 2hr mark.

I’ve had 4 tests since September. Last one being last week and every time I’ve had the 2 hour wait in between blood tests. I’ve waited in the car each time as I don’t want to be sitting in the hospital any longer than I can help it.

There is a stand alone test that measures average blood sugar over the last three months I think, but I don’t know if that is being done in these circumstances. It think if they aren’t asking you to drink the sugar and wait then it’s possibly just a fasting glucose blood test.

I have been diagnosed with GD and that would have missed my case as my fasting blood sugar was fine, it was only the later testing that showed a problem.

Hi everyone, thank you once again for all the replies. I had to do the two hour wait, on my way home now!

Hi everyone,
I was diagnosed with GD myself and what a shock!!! I have recently created a Gestational Diabetes petition.. because .. It's incredible how many of us are been missed completing or missed too late due to not having access or early access to the Glucose Tolerance Test. Please sign and share my petition for real change.
www.change.org/Equal-pregnancy-care