Could I have gestational diabetes?

[PlantMummy87]

Hello,

I wasn't really sure where to turn to, basically I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I had a midwife appointment last week where they checked my urine for sugars and the student midwife said it was all good.

At the weekend I had a private scan due to being really worried throughout this pregnancy (previously had a miscarriage so my anxiety has been super high), and everything looked normal with baby, but they did mention that baby had a bigger stomach compared to its head and thigh percentages. Baby's abdominal circumference was around 76% whilst head and thigh where around 36% and 50% respectively. At the time I just thought I have a little fatty, but since coming home I've read online that a larger stomach for baby can be a sign of gestational diabetes.

At my booking in appointment I was told due to a close family member having type 2 diabetes I was higher risk of gestational diabetes and have been worried about it ever since.

Generally I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle. I am plant based and eat lots of veg, fruit, pulses, beans, nuts and seeds etc and have cut down on treats that I might have pre-pregnancy but do occasionally have something here and there. Truthfully I haven't been exercising as much as I was pre-pregnancy due to sickness and exhaustion. Pre-pregnancy I was doing yoga classes around 2-3 times a week and running around once a week, with a 30ish min walk most days, but now I'm only doing a walk everyday, and sometimes a yoga class once a week. I will definitely up the exercise now.

Do you think I should follow a gestational diabetes diet for the time being, and/or get a blood glucose monitor to test my levels? I'm also unsure on whether I can contact my midwife and just speak to her quickly about this, or should I wait until my 25 week appointment with her to speak to her about this? I do have my NHS 20 week scan in 3 weeks so I could wait until then and see if the percentages have flattened out? Thanks x

Sorry meant to say, obviously I know that no one on here is going to know, but just looking for advice, reassurance or guidance. I know I could potentially have gestational diabetes but wasn't sure what else to title this thread as 😊

Your diet has nothing to do with GD - there is nothing you can do to cause it.

I suspected I had GD so did glucose blood tests - I was right. It got my screening brought forward by a month where I was diagnosed with GD. If you're worried test yourself and see.

I’m currently having my second pregnancy with gestational diabetes. Call your midwife and ask to be sent for a GTT (glucose tolerance test). Mine was picked up this way first time around after there was glucose in my urine during a routine test about 26 Ian weeks? This time I was diagnosed at 14 weeks without a GTT.

If you do have it hospital will give you the kit, I wouldn’t go out and purchase just yet or start the diet - it’s a PIA and there’s no way I would follow it if I absolutely didn’t have to!

My mum has Type 2 so I was only sent for GTT at 28 weeks and did have GD so went straight on to the diet. Managed to stay diet controlled throughout, but induced at 38 weeks as he was measuring big (born 8lb 9).

Been tested earlier this time (16 weeks) and negative, being tested again at 26 weeks.

I was/am very active, healthy BMI and 'healthy' diet but still got it, time will tell if I get it again.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, but if you haven't been advised you will have GTT at some point then I would definitely flag that.

Same as @FrangipanFlower - don't follow the diet unless you have to! Torturous!

It isn't just sugary things, it's even fruit and root vegetables that can cause raised levels!

I was in a similar situation in my first pregnancy 4 years ago- baby's tummy measure on 91st centile, both my parents have diabetes. I had the GTT, no diabetes, all fine. Baby must have had a good gulp of amniotic fluid just before the scan as she was born perfectly healthy but rather slim, on 20th centile! Please don't worry until you have a positive test results.

Having different features on different centiles isn't really a problem. I wouldn't be too worried purely based on that.

A "healthy" diet might not be all that great for someone with GD. Fruit is particularly bad, and you'd want to be pairing any carby vegetables with protein and fat, which you might not do on a healthy diet.

If you're very worried asked for a fasting glucose level. Most trusts are aren't doing GTT at the moment because they don't want people hanging around the department for hours.

You could get a glucose monitor but it won't be calibrated so might not be that accurate. If you do then Roughly, you're looking for less than 5.3 first thing in the morning before you eat anything, and less than 7.8 1 hour after eating.

Hi I never had the gtt until i was 36 weeks as I had no risk factors. The only reason I was sent was because glucose showed up in my urine twice at my midwife appointment. Anyway turns out I do have GD but I have had 9ish scans and all have showed him with a normal sized abdomen so I wouldn't worry about that too much. I wouldn't follow the diet just yet. It's not pleasant🙈

Try not to worry too much. You’ll know much more when you have your test.

With my first I had the GTT which came back fine. Then because his tummy looked so big on the scans, I had to test 3 times a day for a week. All readings were fine. I was also told he was going to be huge but he was 7 lbs 3 when he was born. He is a healthy 15 month old with a cute little belly now.

I’m pregnant with my second now, tummy is looking big on the scans again. I’ve got my GTT in a couple of weeks so we’ll see but I think some babies are just that shape.