Are you doing the gestational diabetes screen?

[natashaccat]

I'm ethically torn on this one. After reading up on this I've decided that I'm not interested in any sort of GD testing unless I become symtomatic. However, my Dr., who I love otherwise, belongs to a clinic that is pretty mainstream when it comes to prenatal testing.

I could refuse the test but I suspect lack of data could be used against me in the hospital in the case of a big baby. Anyway, I hate to lie but I'm thinking about totally BS-ing the test. The lab gives us the drink stuff to take home, I'm thinking I might just eat a healthy high protien meal, do a bit of light exercize, and then go in for the blood draw.

Anyone else giving this test much thought?

[JoyAnne]

I was about to refuse it at the OB's office, then I switched to my MW, and she had me do one that didn't require drinking that crap or fasting or anything- plasma I think? They drew my blood. I haven't seen the results yet (appt. is on Monday).

I had decided to refuse after reading about all of the false positives, and the implications. I have no risk factors. Maybe you can ask for the alternate test?

I think your idea about fudging through is a good one- I would do it if I was sure that it wouldn't become evedent somehow.

[ctdoula]

Yup, I'm doing it. I have PCOS, and at higher risk for GD. I didn't have it last time, so I'm pretty optimistic this time. For me, I think it's worth the screen, just to be on the safe side (I used to work in infant & fetal mortality & know WAY TOO MUCH about all the bad things that can happen).

[aprildawn]

mine is monday. i didn't worry too much about it because i'm consistent about walking 4-5 times a week. and i didn't have it last time.

however, this time around i've had a cough for the past couple of weeks. i'm over the sickness part, but every time i try to go on a walk i have a miserable coughing fit. the past couple were so bad i was gagging. not fun.

so, my plan is to walk today and tomorrow, eat a high protein supper on sunday night, and eat a high protein breakfast monday morning before the draw.

also, my doctor (who is the closest thing to a midwife i can find and still get my insurance to pay for) told me i can drink 16oz of softdrink instead of the glucola thing. not sure what sort of difference that will make. but the orange drink isn't pleasant, so i'm going with soda.

i didn't talk to her about refusing the test. she's concerned because dd was 9lbs 1oz. i've told her and told her that dd was loooooooooong (22") and not fat in the least. but the doctor is worried i'll have another large baby. i'm not worried about a large baby, but i am worried about the doctor being worried if that makes sense. i just want to avoid assumptions about this pregnancy or this baby because i had a big baby the first time. also, since i'm a little overweight i figure i should have the sugar tested.

[littlebeagle]

yep, i'm taking in within the next week. dont really want to but oh well. i'm not going to stress over it. no biggie.

[speedknitter]

I'm taking the test at my next Dr appt in about 2 weeks. I'm fully expecting everything to come back normal - doing it for peace of mind more than anything else. And being 41 yrs old and this is my first pregnancy I don't want any surprises, KWIM?

[sunbaby]

i will probably take the test because adult diabetes runs in my family and i have major sugar issues myself, although i am pretty thin, dont know if that makes any difference. i passed just fine last pregnancy, but i am a bit worried this time since we just had all the holiday sugar binges which i havent quite rercovered from- still eating lotsa dessert and having blood sugar issues. before i take the test, i am going to need to spend a few days really getting on top of my sweet cravings, so i am sure the results are accurate. can i risk out of homebirth if the test comes back positive? i would want to be sure there was a very real need to be at the hospital before i'd agree to deliver there.

[galadriel]

Nope!

[heket]

Not trying to be a pain or anything, but for what reasons wouldn't you want to do it? Are false positives a big issue? Anyone got some info I can browse? I've got the drink and I'm suppose to do Tuesday, but will probably go Wednesday (it's one of those go at your leisure things with my OB). I did it with dd and it wasn't an issue.

[natashaccat]

Originally Posted by heket

Not trying to be a pain or anything, but for what reasons wouldn't you want to do it? Are false positives a big issue? Anyone got some info I can browse? I've got the drink and I'm suppose to do Tuesday, but will probably go Wednesday (it's one of those go at your leisure things with my OB). I did it with dd and it wasn't an issue.

I'm having a heck of a time sorting hype from fact on this one. There's a vocal group at MDC who question the assumptions and science behind routine GD screening. If you do a few searches on gestational diabetes on the birth and beyond board you should come op with quite a few links. Much of the anti GD research that I've seen cited here at MDC seems to consider that dangers of GD blown out of proportion or based on bad science.

It's hard to know where the real truth lies but I think it's safe to say that a GD diagnosis does tend to put women into a high risk category (and their newborn infants) and that Dr.s may or may not distinguish between mild and serious cases in their course of care. So someone (and her newborn infant) with a mild case of GD or with false positive results could unnescessarily get the same high intervention course of care as someone who really truely does have a dangerous form of this condition.

[sunbaby]

heket, i am glad you asked. i have similar questions.

[tarablesue]

I am doing it too. I think I HAD GD with Makenna & it was not diagnosed. So I will be doping the test this time to be safe since I am planning a VBA2C

[Boof]

My two cents:

Don't do anything you aren't comfortable with. If you don't want the test, don't take it. End of story. You are the customer ;-)


Both sides of my family were rife with diabetics, but that was due to their crappy diets. My dad died of complications due to diabetes (and a messed up hospital procedure but that's for another board...), so I know what leaving it unchecked can do. I've periodically tested my blood sugar level using his glucose meter.

I'm not doing the "standard" fasting test which I believe is flawed; What pregnant woman fasts for 12 hours then dumps 100g pure glucose into her body on a regular basis? I duno about anyone else, but I don't routinely drink the maple syrup when I get up in morning ;-)

What does doing this test actually prove? That my body's reaction does or doesn't fall into the same paramaters as the majority of the population? If it takes longer for my body to process the sugar than someone elses does, so what-- the sugar put into a body for this test is put there in an isolated state-- that's not how it happens in nature (unless you're drinking the maple syrup, but at least that has minerals in there ;-) ).

Yikes- Didn't mean for this to turn into a mini rant!

xoxoxoxo

Beth

[natashaccat]

FWIW there's a ppg w/diabetes at the babycenter forum. I posted some of my questions over there and got lots of good info and alternate explanations to some of the things that were confusing me about the GD screening process.

[liamandpipersmama]

I'm not. I'm eating very carefully this time and I've never had anything in the past so unless I feel okward or badly I think I'll be fine without it.

[saharasky]

Not me!

I'm eating well and excercising and never had it b4.

[cek]

alternatives to the standard GD screen

Ask your doc about eating a high carb meal and then having your blood tested 2 hours afterward. I grilled my Midwife about this because of the false positive rate and not wanting to get labelled high risk and and she said that the standard GD test is a challenge test, where they give you a lot more sugar than you might normally get and see how your pancreas handles it. I eat a pretty low sugar diet and this just did not seem useful to me, why try to pass a test that does not look like anything else I would encounter in my life? So they are just going to check my blood sugar after a high carb meal, since that is more like life! Many of the interventions they do do not seem to actually affect outcomes for mom or baby, and mainly they will tell you to change your diet and exercise more, which is fine, but once they start telling you to take insulin based on this test or recommending an elective C section for a suspected big baby, you need to start asking A LOT more questions and request a retest...

[proudmamanow]

Just back from my mw appointment and she confirmed my gut feeling, NOT to get the test...I am healthy and reasonably active and trying very hard to eat well. She says they are required to mention the test, but that she NEVER reccommends it b/c in her experience it's both a very unrealistic & not v. informative test and also because it classifies women as high risk for no reason, as cek says, many of the interventions don't seem to affect outcome much.

my 2cents....

[danaalex]

i just met with my new care provider and i had told her i wasn't going to get it done. she seemed ok with it, until she noted that i am measuring 33 weeks at 27 weeks, and since she none of my other info. she recommended it. although i've had two BIG babies and never had GD before. instead what i'm going to do is wait till next week ( i'm having the official, let's figure out what's going on in there U/S done by an actual tech not a dodo DR) and then i'll decide.

IMO it's just a huge hassel, and if i haven't had it before i doubt i'll have it this time.

[mrzmeg]

I'm doing the jelly bean test...it's based on a big study from a few years ago. Instead of drinking the gook, you fast for two hours, then eat 28 Brachs #110 jelly beans (the type used in the study), then one hour later get your blood drawn.

If you want to get tested but skip the yucky drink, this might be an option...