do you have to have the GD check?

[snowchickie79]

Just wanted to say that although the risk factors outline who may be more prone to GD, these are not always the case. I fit absolutely none of the risk factors and I got GD. I've always been active and a healthy eater, and within my recommended BMI, if not on the low side and I still got GD. Alot of it has to do with how your body and placenta deals with the extra work load from baby.

I considered not having the GD test as I was sick of tests (and had been through CVS) and because I didn't fit any of the risk factors, but as it goes I had GD so I was glad it was picked up..

It's an easy test and takes an hour to do so I would say best to rule it out...

[Schmickers]

Independent research has never managed to prove that screening for all women for GD is helpful. An Australian collaboration of researchers have recently produced this guideline for the GD test:

http://www.3centres.com.au/guideline..._screening.pdf

The first signs of GD are apparent in urine, anyway, so routine urine screening will pick up women at risk of GD anyway.

And no, I don't think a 9lb baby is a definitive sign of GD... LOL

[Michelle71]

I *passed* the GD test (GTT - the long one) and yet I still have GD. My fasting sugars are still high and my levels through the day can be up depending on what I eat. My endocrinologist said she wouldn't have tested me (and saved me two lots of 3 hour torture sessions!!) as I fit many of the risk factors and instead would have had me monitor my BSL's as the pregnancy progressed. She believes that the stress test aspect of the GTT does not identify all women with GD and regular monitoring would provide a better level of evaluation for those with the risk factors. She doesn't care what your body can do when loaded and stressed with a slog of sugar, she wants to know what you are doing on a day to day basis which is what the baby is getting.

[sunshine_sieben]

Michelle, it makes a lot of sense what your endocrinologist says about being concerned what the body does in a normal situation rather than in an extreme one.

And about the weight issue: I have mentioned this a few times in various threads on BB: My nan gave birth to 6 babies. All over 5kg (over 11lb). All were born at home with only a midwife present. They were all healthy and 5 of them still are (now in their 50s and 70s). Her first born unfortunately died when he was around 12 months of pneumonia.
Did she have GD? Who knows, they didn't check for these things. I doubt it as she had easy pregnancies and births. Some babies are just big.

Thanks for the link Michael.

Saša