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  1. #1
    dukie41181 is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Default anyone opt out of testing for gestational diabetes?

    We didn't test last time and have chosen not to do it this time either. I asked my midwife about signs to watch for and she talked about the signs being consistent with pregnancy so not always a good indicator but said some were more frequent urination, increased thirst and a few others. Well, I did notice an increased urination at one point but attributed it to the baby sitting low (which I can feel she is) and I don't feel I've been increasingly thirsty. I'm content with my choice to not test (I couldn't do a glucometer even if the result were positive) and iv rather chosen to focus on eating a good, lower sugar diet. Anyone else in a similar place?
    DD1: February 2009
    DD2: November 2010

  2. #2
    essnce629's Avatar
    essnce629 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    I've had 2 homebirths and my midwives didn't do the test routinely unless there was a concern or other risk factors. So I've never had the test and didn't think twice about it.
    Latia (Birth & Postpartum Doula and Infant Nanny)
    Conner 8/19/03 (My 1st home birthed water baby!)
    Parker 5/23/09 (My 2nd home birthed water baby!)

  3. #3
    brgnmom is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by dukie41181 View Post
    We didn't test last time and have chosen not to do it this time either. I asked my midwife about signs to watch for and she talked about the signs being consistent with pregnancy so not always a good indicator but said some were more frequent urination, increased thirst and a few others. Well, I did notice an increased urination at one point but attributed it to the baby sitting low (which I can feel she is) and I don't feel I've been increasingly thirsty. I'm content with my choice to not test (I couldn't do a glucometer even if the result were positive) and iv rather chosen to focus on eating a good, lower sugar diet. Anyone else in a similar place?
    I wish I knew I had the choice to opt out of the test. I'm supposed to take it this Friday. I was negative for gestational diabetes the first time around, and I've been cautious about having a low-sugar well-balanced diet. I do know of many moms who have had GD, and so I think I'll still take the test this Friday. I called my OB's office and asked the nurse there whether I could take the standard fasting tast (which the OB had suggested as a possibility for me without having to take the glucola soln)... and the nurse said I should just fast for 5 hours prior to my morning appointment and still drink the soln an hour before the blood draw. I'm kind of frustrated by the conflicting advice.

    It's nice how midwives are more open-minded about this test and not having to take it.

  4. #4
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    I took the test (don't have gestational diabetes) and for the most part regret taking it. I mean it's nice having it confirmed that I don't have it, but the experience was really miserable for me. I've had a lot of nausea and vomiting during my pregnancy and the glucose solution really set me off. I had to lie down.

    I hadn't really realized the test might be optional until the night before I was scheduled to take mine.
    Mother to DD 10/2010

  5. #5
    swissair81 is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    My Dr didn't let me opt out. He did, however, ensure that it was a more pleasant experience.

  6. #6
    bcafe is online now Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    I have not done the test for my last 2 pgs. I have no risk factors and my midwife doesn't recommend them unless there are risk factors.

  7. #7
    sste is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Isn't the initial test just urine or blood - - I can't recall but I remember it wasn't a big deal (the follow-up test does suck with having to drink so much of that solution).

    What is the upside to opting out of the initial testing, esp. given it is not a big deal?

    My understanding was that managing GD is one of the "biggie" advances in prenatal care that actually delivers in terms of improving maternal-fetal outcomes.

    And its not clear to me that risk factors or symptoms absent testing would address this issue as well because there is so much overlap between pregnancy symptoms and GD symptoms and b/c I think traditional risk factors are less helpful for diabetes in light of the national "diabetes epidemic" we are now experiencing. Also I believe that even if you don't meet the diabetes def. you may be borderline or in a danger zone and that is helpful to know too in terms of lifestyle change.

    What am I missing?
    ds 2007
    dd 2010
    baby dd 2014

  8. #8
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    Why opt out? You just have to drink this gross drink and get your blood drawn--no biggie compared to everything else we go through during pregnancy, and gestational diabetes is pretty serious. I have mine next week and am hardly looking forward to it, but I don't understand why you'd opt out.
    Boy (4/03) -- Girl (12/05) -- Boy (11/10)

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by sste View Post
    Isn't the initial test just urine or blood - - I can't recall but I remember it wasn't a big deal (the follow-up test does suck with having to drink so much of that solution).

    What is the upside to opting out of the initial testing, esp. given it is not a big deal?

    My understanding was that managing GD is one of the "biggie" advances in prenatal care that actually delivers in terms of improving maternal-fetal outcomes.

    And its not clear to me that risk factors or symptoms absent testing would address this issue as well because there is so much overlap between pregnancy symptoms and GD symptoms and b/c I think traditional risk factors are less helpful for diabetes in light of the national "diabetes epidemic" we are now experiencing. Also I believe that even if you don't meet the diabetes def. you may be borderline or in a danger zone and that is helpful to know too in terms of lifestyle change.

    What am I missing?
    Because of the nausea I've experienced during my pregnancy, taking the test wasn't no biggie for me. I had to spend the 20-30 minutes prior to and when they took blood lying down or I was going to vomit up all of the glucose solution ( which if it happened would mean I'd have to then pick another day to fast and take the glucose test and see if I could manage to not puke it up again.) I know of a lot of women it has given nausea to other than me.

    And I sort of feel the opposite, after reading more about the test I feel like it doesn't really give you that much information. If you have gestational diabetes, you might be at a risk of a larger baby, you might be at risk of Preclampsia, you might be at risk for a baby with sugar issues or jaundice, but nothing is definitive.

    It seems best to just try and eat a healthy diet while pregnant regardless of whether you have GD or not. ^^;
    Mother to DD 10/2010

  10. #10
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    Sort of. I had very mild GD w/my pregnancy w/DS. It was totally diet and exercise controlled.

    When I was preggo w/DD, since I had a previous diagnosis of GD, my doc requested that I take the test early (around 16 wks I think). I declined that test. As my GD was very mild (so mild as to be practically nonexistant, don't get me started), I didn't feel that it was worth putting myself through the test. If the outcome of finding out that I had GD was to adopt a GD-friendly diet and keep on exercising, well, I was already doing that, and there was no point in taking the test that early on. If I passed at 16 wks, I'd have to take the test again at 26ish weeks, anyway. I had no sugar in my urine, had minimal weight gain, was eating right, and was exercising (I ran/walked a 4 mi race in the 3rd trimester).

    I did take the test later on in pregnancy, and passed w/flying colors.
    mommy to DS who is 9
    DD who is 6
    and my girl in heaven

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