Gestational Diabetes Testing

[sel2223]

I did post elsewhere but thought I might get more traffic on here......

Just had this testing done yesterday morning and waiting for the results
The midwife who did the finger prick test commented that it was 5.6 and didn't say if that was good or bad but I've since been googling (I know, I know) and convinced myself that this means I'm going to be diagnosed with GD.

5.6 was my result at the initial finger prick test after fasting, before the glucose drink.

Anyone else had that initial fasting result? What happened?

I believe it varies by NHS trust but I had GD and my morning fasting level was supposed to be 5.2 or under so yours does sound a little high.

Did they do proper blood draws on you too as well as the finger prick testing? They didn't do finger prick tests when I had mine done.

I think if I remember correctly that 7 was the magic number to be concerned about with fasting result when I was diagnosed, although that was the finger prick result that I had to watch for after I was found to have GD and had to test daily.

The finger prick result isn't as accurate as the blood test that they send off, it can be affected by hand sanitiser or soap residue on your finger.

Even if you do come up positive it's not an awful diagnosis so try not to fret about it.

I was diagnosed at 28 weeks, surprise to the MW as had no symptoms and never had glucose in urine, but it was what it was.

I wasn't able to control with diet alone so went on Metformin and insulin, had a really easy pregnancy just had to watch what I ate and take a bit of medicine. I actually ended up losing weight so I was 2 stone less at the end than I was at the beginning.

Had an induction at 37.5 weeks which went well and DD was born 4 and a half hour after contractions started, with just a bit of gas n air. We stayed in overnight because they like to do 3 sugar checks on baby to make sure they are regulating their sugars, she was perfect so we were home by 9am the next morning.

I’ve had gestational diabetes in two pregnancies and in both of them my fasting reading has had to be below 5.2. I would therefore think 5.6 might be a little high, but the testing limits might be different to the monitoring limits.

If you do have GD, please be reassured that all will be ok ❤️ it can be a huge stress to be diagnosed and getting your head around it all can feel really difficult, but you can absolutely have a safe, healthy pregnancy and delivery with GD.

Hi OP

I'm a midwife at a Trust in the SW England. Looks like different Trusts have different criteria but at our Trust we go by the '5678' rule (said to the infamous Steps song to help me remember 🤣)

So essentially your fasting (pre drink) needs to be below 5.6mmol/L and your post drink result needs to be below 7.8mmol/L.

Different hospitals test in different ways which can sometimes account for the difference in diagnostic criteria.

I'm 36 weeks with GDM. My fasting was 5.2 (considered normal) but my post drink result was 10.7 🤦🏻‍♀️😭

Thank you all for the replies, I really do appreciate it.

The numbers are the same as I found online so a lot saying 5.6 was the cut off but some saying lower around 5.2 or 5.3. Do any of you know if they take the result from the finger prick test or if it's just from the blood tests?

I did have bloods taken before and after the glucose drink and hoping to get those results on Monday/ Tuesday.

Also helpful to hear from those that have/had GD that a diagnosis isn't the end of the world and that it is manageable. Thank you for that reassurance.

I'm confused as to why your midwife did a finger prick test in the first place if you were always going to have the standard glucose tolerance test with the pre and post blood test and drink etc.

The glucose tolerance test is done under stricter conditions to get a standard result, with the finger prick surely that will depend on what you've eaten that day etc 🤔

Super pointless to look at the finger prick test until you have a diagnoses as the level that you aim for when you have gestational diabetes is MUCH lower than a non diabetic (or even a type 2 diabetic!)

Hopefully you don't have it but if you do it's fairly easily managed even if you have to take medication for it (heavy doses of insulin for me in my 2nd pregnancy!)

Well I've not had it before and I'm not a medical professional but this is how it was in my trust.

You fast from 10pm the night before
Next morning go to the appointment and get finger prick test
Initial bloods taken
Drink glucose drink
Wait 2 hours
Second bloods taken

The fasting finger prick number I was told there and then, the other results I should hear in 3-5 days.

From what I've heard from others and read online, that all seems pretty standard so not sure what the confusion is?

The finger prick test is testing the exact same thing as the blood they take from your vein, so I dunno what this person is on about. The only real difference is that with the handheld machine and a finger prick sample the result is instant, instead of waiting on results from the lab. I guess the lab results are potentially slightly more accurate, but the handheld ones are unlikely to be miles out.
I don't work in midwifery so cannot say for sure why they did both....but to hazard a guess I'd say perhaps in case your initial fasting sugar was really high, then they wouldn't continue with the rest of the test because they would already have a pretty concrete idea that you were diabetic.
Sorry I can't answer your original question about what limits they consider to be normal/abnormal.

Hi can I ask you something