I've decided to decline the GD test...tell me I'm not crazy?!

[Harriet]

The midwife told me that while every test is offered - they are not always compulsary.
After I was offered the GD test, I came in to work and was told by my horrified collegues that I MUST have the test.
I think we live in a society where tests and intervention are the norm... people don't even think to question why they are being offered the test in the first place.
Have you discussed it with the midwife? I think it sounds like you have made the right decision for you - through looking after yourself and Isla through diet and exercise

[HotI]

My 2 cents worth - nope not crazy. If I were in your situation, I would have declined too. You are the best person to judge your unique risk factors and symtpoms. (Interesting, my hospital won't give me the option of declining....)

You always have the option of declining! It's your body, your choice.

[Roryrory]

i would worry if you did have it and it was undiagnosed, the risks you had put yourself and bub under?

As Skybie has said the risks can be quite extreme, but when I was in the situation of being told if I had the test and FAILED it I would be booted from the Sunshine Hospital Home Birth Program I elected to have the test "off line" (ie: I got a referral from a random GP and did not tell the hossy the results, even tho they turned out fine).

I did a lot of research into GD and on one view it is a "cure in search of a disease". That is, its questionable whether a positive reading on a test will necessarily be an indicator for the myriad of risks it is associated with. One of the big "risks" is a large baby, but from my reading it appears that this translates into scalpel-happy OBs wanting to perform a c-section "in case" the baby is big (and anyone who has bee on BB as long as you have PZ knows that small women can birth big babies and vice versa).

Like the others I don't know all your reasoning for declining the test but it is one of those choices you have to make and be comfortable with as a birthing woman. Motherhood is a constant balancing of risk and benefit.

ETA: Just realised you posted at the same time as me - are you on the sunshine program PZ???

[PumpkinZulu]

Yep Rory...I know you were, as soon as I joined I read your birth story lol. Yep, the reasons you stated are my reasons. Not worried about a big bub, I don't eat a whole lot of sugar and stuff to contribute to a bigger bub (as GD causes sugar to go through the placenta and makes bubs big). I *really* like the idea of having an 'offline' test, that way I do not risk losing my spot, but if I *did* have GD, I could re-evaluate my position.

[skybie]

its insulin tht makes a baby bigger not sugar, because insulin is a growth hormone.
the high risk factor of having GD isnt laughable as someone mentioned earlier, it is a high risk factor, theres a higher rate of still births in diabetic mothers than non diabetic mothers. My placenta didnt even make it to 38 weeks!

theres every chance you wont have Gd, yet given you're already technically 'overweight' i would think that that would be a factor, your body is already working harder to maintain your insulin levels, add onto that pregnancy which requires double the amount of insulin your non pregnant body needs.
yes some pople manage with diet and excersize but even the healthiest and fitest of mothers can end up on insulin, its not always something your body can control