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

[skybie]

u stick a strip into a hand held monitor and then princk ur finger with the lancet and squeeze a drop of blood onto the strip and it reads ur levels. idealy as a non diabetic ur levels should be 5.5 and under, 2 hours after a meal.
you can pick them up quite cheaply at the chemist, ive seen some for $35,the one i have it about $60 because it can also test other things.

given u actually didnt know what causes a bigger bub and diabetes, can i suggest you look into it a bit more before you make your final decision, its really doesnt have much to do with your sugar intake

[PumpkinZulu]

My understanding of GD was that it is a carbohydrate intolerance, it makes your blood glucose levels higher than normal, so you'rte producing more insulin which your body cannot handel too well, which means blood glucose levels will rise. That extra glucose gets carried through the placenta to the baby which causes the babies growth to increase, and a lot faster than normal. But I will read up more, my knowledge on it is not extensive and TBH I thought what I knew was correct. Off to do some reading now. Thankyou so much for your concern babe, and making sure I am fully informed.

[TaRhLi.]

PZ: Your weight and height is similar to mine pre pregnancy for DD and also this time. No GD both times - even though carrying twins is classified as 'high risk' - my results this time were a little on the high side of normal (7.3) but still fine.

Ultimately it is your decision but I decided to have to have it done both times as it is not a major test, just a glucose drink and then a BT 1 hour later, as I wanted to make sure not just my health but the health of the baby/babies was managed as well.

[Little Chicken]

My understanding of GD was that it is a carbohydrate intolerance, it makes your blood glucose levels higher than normal, so you'rte producing more insulin which your body cannot handel too well, which means blood glucose levels will rise. That extra glucose gets carried through the placenta to the baby which causes the babies growth to increase, and a lot faster than normal. But I will read up more, my knowledge on it is not extensive and TBH I thought what I knew was correct. Off to do some reading now. Thankyou so much for your concern babe, and making sure I am fully informed.

Basically whatever your blood sugar levels are, your bub's blood sugar levels are. Bub deal with excess sugar the same why we do, produces lots of insulin and stores the extra sugar as fat. That's why GD babies can be bigger, not in general size wise neccessarily, but fatter. When bub is exposed to high sugar levels over a sustained period of time, it's pancreas gets used to producing a lot of insulin and becomes what is known as hyperplastic, kind of like a muscle that is used a lot becomes bigger. Unlike normal pancreas's, once the high amount of sugar is suddenly stooped (bub's is born and cord is cut), the pancreas cannot just stop producing insulin, it will keep producing very high amounts of it even when the blood sugar drops to very low levels, which does cause very bad hypoglyceamia. This can take days sometimes weeks to resolve and can require bub's to have a central line insitu to administer high concentration glucose to stabilise the sugars. This is the main thing that happens to baby if GD is poorly controlled. there are a few other effects as well.

[BellyBelly]

Did you read Henci Goer's article on it that I posted?

[PumpkinZulu]

No I didn't Kel, could you please post a link?

Thanks LC, that's a lot more in-depth than my understanding was.

[Little Chicken]

If you like PZ I can hunt up my lecture notes about this subject for some more info for you?

[PumpkinZulu]

That'd rock

[BellyBelly]

LOL it's stickied at the top of this forum area, as well as Michel Odent's view on GD! Missing some good stuff

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ci-goer-39831/

[BellyBelly]

Odent (the most famous Ob in the world!) on GD: https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...iabetes-80310/

[PumpkinZulu]

I Odent.

[~me~]

just look at Cathy Freeman, who would have thought an atheist would get it huh? But GD is often treated with diet and exercise anyway, so I guess for me, maintaining those two things is a good thing to do.

Diabetes is very high in the aboriginal community, it didn't surprise me that she would get it, her Mum probably had it as did her Elders all most likely not diagnosed.

You are very right, a good diet and excersise is one of the tricks. My GF had it in her 3rd pregnancy, she was the same build as you (definitely not overweight!) and hers was treated with diet and excerise.

If your comfortable with your decision, that is all that matters

[Little Chicken]

Ok I found them! I warn that is going to sound clinical so no offence or distress is intended (I am copying as is written with some minor editing).

The Effects of Diabetes On The Neonate

Increased risk of malformations - More type 1 and type 2 related due to unstable metabolic function during bone development.
Increased antepartum and intrapartum death - exact cause unknown.
Increased perinatal mortality - not high though 1% increased risk in GDM mothers and 4% increase in type 1 and 2
Increased weight of baby, placenta and amniotic fluid.
Increased incidence of pre-eclampsia
Increased risk of pre-term delivery.
Increased risk of caeserean section, obstructed labour, and impacted shoulders.

The increased availability of glucose increases the size of the baby, placenta and the amount of amniotic fluid. This process may then increase the likelihood of placental insufficiency, polyhydramnios (increased fluid), pre-eclampsia, pre-term delivery and related complications.

Post birth, the infant of a diabetic mother is at an increased risk of;

Respiratory Distress Syndrome - increased amounts of insulin interferes with the biochemical production of surfactant
Transient Tachypnoea of the Newborn - usually post cesearean section.
Hypoglyceamia - due to decreased glucose and fat metabolism.
Polycythaemia - increased amount of circulating red blood cells, which can then lead to;
Hyperbilirubinemia - increased circulating bilirubin which causes jaundice which may mean bub needs phototherapy
Renal Vein Thrombosis - Query if this is caused by the polycythaemia or dehydration
Cardiomyopathy - reversible septal hypertrophy related to increased glycogen storage and increased muscle

[PumpkinZulu]

Cool (well not *cool*, but you know!) thankyou So all of that I assume is based on poorly managed and/or the more severe or advanced cases of GD?

[BellyBelly]

Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes does that relate to? Totally different things.

[Little Chicken]

For the worst case yes, but in my personal experience, I have seen well managed ones need some help controlling sugars and such. Where I worked had a "clinical pathway" for infants of diabetic mothers which was basically testing sugars and offering top up feeds.

FWIW I have seen all types of women have GDM, there is no one particular type. But if you are happy with your decision and consequences of it, then go for it.

[Little Chicken]

Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes does that relate to? Totally different things.

It relates to both.

[nothing2lose]

PZ- am I right in thinking you have a history of PCOS??

If so, I would think that puts you at an even greater risk of GD...