do you have to have the GD check?

[runnermum]

I felt pushed into having this test in my first pregnancy - I have NO family history of Type 2 diabetes, I am very lean at 58kgs and 174cms tall, and very athletic - keeping up running through all of my first pregnancy.

So.......this pregnancy I said NO I am not taking the test. Again, I am feeling just wonderful, no symptons, keeping up my running and swimming - now at 31 weeks and I eat well.

So good on ya for questioning it - if you are imformed about the risks and know what to look out for and understand that the test itself is NOT very reliable anyway, then good for you.

[sunshine_sieben]

I didn't have it. Both my MW and I agreed that there was no reason to suspect I had it. And I was in a birth centre, so no, it's not neccesarily a requirement in a BC.
I am also Obese according to BMI, but according to my MW, I looked healthy and fit and was eating very well, so she completely ignored the BMI.
It's good to see there are still people out there that actually use their brains to think idependently and intelligently rather than jsut following protocol blindly.
Good on you for wanting to avoid unneccesary tests. I did, too and will with this pregnancy. I do understand that tests can be valuable, but I do think we are being poked and prodded to no end just because it's "routine". And just because we can.
So many women are being worried for no reason because tests come back inconclusive or as false positives. Health professionals commonly vastly underestimate the effect this can have on a woman's psyche and her attitude towards her body, her ability to birth and mother a baby and her attitude towards er unborn baby. Fear is such a destructive emotion. Yet, most people think that just by doing another test which "prooves" that everything is alright, the worries of the first test are being completely undone. Unfortunately, human emotions don't work that way...

Sorry for the rant...
Saša

[Mumma2three]

They said I had it the first time, I was 175cm tall and 70 kilos, so still right in the middle of healthy weight range when not pregnant. Anyway, I had to ***** my finger 4 times a day and monitor what I ate. I dont' believe I had it at all, as not once when I did the ***** test, was I even slightly above AVERAGE let alone high.
Second time they said the first test was high, so I went for second test and they poked and prodded me (think I had three needles in one hand, 2 in other, and both arms as they couldn't get a good vein.......) and I was fine.
I have been debating whether to have it this time. Both my babies were full term and weighed 3.3 kilos so absolutely no risk of being big (which is one of main concerns of GD). So not sure if I will. Good to hear people's opinions, I think I might avoid it this time. xoxo

[Junglemum]

I'm not sure how much family history or, 'how you feel' plays into the GD equation........ a lean, fit girlfriend of mine, with a good diet and no prior history family history of any type of diabetes, ended up getting GD with her second pregnancy. She modified her diet and gave birth to a beautiful 10lb baby boy.

But as people have pointed out, you don't have to have the test at all. When i had it first time i had the drink, went away, then went back an hour later foor the blood sample. I know there is a GTT and a GCT which take different amounts of time. But i am pretty sure the basic one only takes an hour. Although different pathology places prob have different protocols. If you wanted to have it done and time was an issue, you could ring around a few pathology places and find someone that does the hour test.

Totally up to you.

[sunshine_sieben]

Risk factors for GD:
- have a family history of gestational diabetes (ie mother, grandmother or sister had it)
- you have previously given birth to a large baby (weighing over 4.5kg/9lb 14)
- you have previously had a stillbirth
- are overweight or obese
- have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Symptoms of GD:
- increased thirst
- needing to urinate frequently
- tiredness
but these are all common in pregnancy anyway.

GD isn't an immediate threat to your or your baby but if not managed it incresaes the risk of things like:
- Pre-eclampsia
- Premature Delivery
- Having too much amniotic fluid
- a big baby
- c/s delivery
- low blood sugar in the baby after birth
- jaundice in the newborn
- congenital problems of the baby like heart defect
- slightly increased risk of stillbirth or neonatal death

My friend had a 9lb baby girl. when she later talked to an OB (not the one she saw for her birth) and he found out she didn't have the GD test and gave birth to a 9lber, he said: "Such a huge baby, I'm sure you actually had GD, you should have had the test,..."
WTH??? 9lb isn't that huuuge? She's tall, so is her husband. What a strange thing to say.

Saša

[LaDeeDa]

my DF was 12lbs...... no GD there.....

OMG 12lbs - can I book in for the stork now?????

[sunshine_sieben]

12 lb????? That's amazing!

[LaDeeDa]

MIL is 6'1, FI; 6ft and DF is nearly 6'5'

poor little dee = 5'3 ...

[Antheia]

My friend had a 9lb baby girl. when she later talked to an OB (not the one she saw for her birth) and he found out she didn't have the GD test and gave birth to a 9lber, he said: "Such a huge baby, I'm sure you actually had GD, you should have had the test,..."
WTH??? 9lb isn't that huuuge? She's tall, so is her husband. What a strange thing to say.

Sa?a

That really gets under my nose. I have never had GD and have birthed a 9.5lb and a 9lb baby. Yet doctors still ask me if i am sure i didn't have GD. Grr! I was born 9lb myself and back then they thought something was really wrong with me. Repeat sugar tests every few hours and my mum never got to see me until i was 2 days old! Oh but they never took it into account that i was 3 weeks late.