Glucose tolerance test

[luv2bmommy]

I hear this test is being recommended to be done betw. 18 and 24 wks or so. Has any one of you refused it and why?

[pb&j]

I had GD with my previous pregnancy, and at my last OB visit (I'm currently 16 wks), it was recommended that I do the 1 hr GTT in the next two weeks. If I pass, repeat at 26 wks; if I fail, go straight to the 3 hr. I declined, and got no resistance from my OB. First, my GD was extremely borderline - I failed the 3 hr by one point. I barely changed my diet (cut out OJ in the morning) and in 3 mos of testing sugars 4x per day, was only over the cutoff twice. Each time was over the limit by about 5 points at 1 hr, and was normal when tested at 2 hrs. My fasting sugars were always in the 70's or 80's. I eat well, exercise daily, and am not gaining weight excessively. Finally, even the 1 hr test pretty much wrecks me for the day, so taking the test involves my taking a sick day from work. So, two tests means two sick days (and two copays and two lab fees) so is very costly to me!

But, I will be taking the GTT at 26 wks, as subsequent pg's are more likely to be affected by GD. My mom likely had undiagnosed and unmanaged GD when she was pregnant with me, and I was a 10lb baby who ended up in the NICU. Would definitely like to avoid that!!

[cheri]

I didn't do it with this pregnancy. Last time I was borderline for the one hour test, and talked about it with my OB. He was concerned because I consistently had sugar in my urine, so the borderline test was a little more worrisome than it would have been otherwise. The three hour test would have been really tough for me to do with work, so we decided to have me check my blood sugars instead.

I bought a glucometer and checked my sugars (fasting and post-prandial) for a few weeks. Everything looked good, so he told me I could stop.

This time around, I asked him if I could just check my blood sugars instead. So, out came the glucometer and I've been watching them again. Fortunately , they've been fine.

Personally, I prefer the glucometer to the glucose tolerance test. Although nobody seems to believe me, I've found that with the right lancet, pricking my finger is essentially painless (feels kind of like you thump your finger--not hard--with another finger). I really hated the glucose tolerance test. It made me really nauseated.

There is some controversy about whether it's even necessary for younger moms without risk factors. I did a lot of research about it during my first pregnancy, but since I was spilling sugar into my urine, decided it was in baby's best interest to go ahead and do it.

Best wishes with your pregnancy!
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KTM LC4 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/KTM_LC4)