A1C or Glycohemoglobin test as part of prenatal panel?

[javilu]

I just got back from a visit with an NP who works with the midwives and I'm a bit confused.  She included a request for a glycohemoglobin (a1c) test along with my prenatal bloodwork and I'm not sure why.  I did not have GD with my son, so I'm wondering if there is some other "flag" that prompted this order.  She does seem like a bit of an alarmist - she also indicated "precipitous labor" on my record because I had my son within two hours of arriving at the birth center, but I was already 8cm dilated and had been in labor for two days before I got there...I'm wondering if she's setting me up for something.

EDIT: I did some research and it appears that this test is used to determine if a woman has pre-existing diabetes, like going into pregnancy.  I am healthier now than I was when I got pregnant with my son.  I am going to try to decline it.  I don't need the stress and I'm not entirely trusting of lab tests, especially with this practice.

Edited by javilu - 1/4/11 at 6:38pm

[msmiranda]

I don't think an A1C is a typical part of the panel of tests they do at the beginning of pregnancy (it was not included in mine this time or in previous pregnancies) but I don't think you have anything to fear from it.  If you are not diabetic, the test will show that.  I had GD in my last pregnancy and took two a1c's when my son was 9 months and 1 year old (for my own information, to make sure that I had returned to my normal nondiabetic state), and I had really great numbers -- 5.1 and 4.9.  Under 6 is considered nondiabetic, I think.  If you're not being charged extra for it, I wouldn't consider it a problem.  I wouldn't be that surprised, honestly, if more providers started including this test to check for pre-existing diabetes in pregnant patients, since the diabetes rates are still going up among younger folk and a lot of people do not find out they are diabetic or prediabetic for a long time (and can benefit from that knowledge).

On the other hand, if you have trust issues with your care provider, that is something that would need to be addressed. It sounds like that might be the real issue here.  Good luck!