Gestational Diabetes/Glucose Test Help

[KayT91]

Hi,
I got called by my midwife this afternoon to let me know my blood sugar test taken with my 12 week scan bloods came back slightly raised at 7, and I am being sent for a glucose test.
I don’t really know too much about gestational diabetes or blood sugar levels in pregnancy etc so any help would be great. I’m slightly worried about it all.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gestational-diabetes/

NHS website gives lots of useful information

There's a brilliant website and Facebook page gestational diabetes Uk I discovered it as I have it myself now. Important to understand it's caused from hormones in the placenta so it's not something you can fix only manage until baby is born and then it will go. It's mostly about watching what carbs you eat and when eating them pairing them correctly with protein and healthy fats. That website and Facebook group is a fountain of knowledge

Thank you so much for your help so far. I don’t have anyone family wise with diabetes or anything so it’s all new to me. Although I haven’t had my glucose test yet I’m just exploring the possibility that it may be the case I have GD.
Out of interest does anyone know what a normal threshold is for blood sugars in pregnancy? I just got told mine was at 7 with no explanation if that was high or just at the threshold or anything

@KayT91 the normal range for blood sugars is between 4 and 7 🙂

If the glucose tolerance test shows that you have GD, you’ll have extra monitoring. If it comes back negative you might be invited to do it again later in pregnancy to check it hasn’t developed.

The Gestational Diabetes UK website (and Facebook group) is brilliant. Their diet advice and support is far beyond the standard NHS offering. Though having said that I was under the care of a specialist diabetes midwife who was really good - really responsive to questions etc.

Knowing someone with type 1 or 2 wouldn't help unfortunately as gestational diabetes is really strictly managed, what would be a high reading for someone with gestational diabetes would be perfectly normal for a type 2.

Essentially it means that the placenta is releasing hormones that reduces the effectiveness of the insulin you create. It's progressive as the placenta grows (and more hormones are released). It can be diet managed, fewer carbs eaten with protein and fat sources or potentially medicated (i'm currently on insulin for it).

Your level is borderline normal and the GTT will clarify things, though if you pass one now you'll probably have to do another one at 20 weeks ish because it's progressive.

If you have it there will be extra monitoring and scans to check for growth and you'll be under consultant care.

Hey OP. I’ve currently got GD. My fasting bloods (so those as soon as you wake up) should be 5.3 or under. The bloods an hour after meals should be 7.8 or under. Anything near the 3 mark is a hypo. I was concerned I had GD before I had the glucose test as my Dad is Type 2 so I got a blood kit of Amazon and was testing in preparation. I’m now on metaformin (4 a day) to try and control it alongside my diet. Diet wise, what might be ok for you might not for me and vice versa so it’s all a bit of trial and error. If you do have it, you’re so lucky they’ve found out early as I didn’t find out til around 24 weeks (I’m 30+6 now) and my baby is on 98th percentile 🫣

I had to have a growth scan at 32 weeks totally unrelated to anything other than having a fast heart and doing an extra check!
she showed 90th percentile and 4lb 11 oz so not even huge! but on a whim they Said lets do a test, I agreed I also had no symptoms at all also no one in fam with diabetes, I was shocked it was positive I scored nearly 10 after 2 hours after the drink ! only got told at 34 weeks too, im now 35 been doing the diet 1 week now, its not the end of the world if you do have it, its better to know you have it so u can control it rather than not know!
also yes the gduk Facebook has been a life saver
I cried and cried and cried when I got that call, I was a state for a few days my mum actually had to come over and calm me down as I had no idea what to do, I was just reading all the bad things,
hopefully you dont have it as its much easier without lol but if you do you do x