Turning down a Glucose Screening...

The GCT is the SHORT version to test if you have gestational diabetes (which usually has no symptoms... just causes brain damage and heart defects in the fetus early pregnancy... and macrolitis (aka "fat baby", that usually cannot be delivered vaginally and has to be delivered via c-sect), and extremely low blood sugar after birth (just needs a few days or a week or so in the PICU... so you won't be taking them home for a bit, but no big deal... it only takes awhile to get their systems capable and it's pretty standard / low risk of infant death).

As far as yourself, there's SOME organ damage from all the sugar crystals in your blood, but only for a few months, so moms are usually fine / rarely have permenant damage. Diabetic comas and seizures can still happen, but those are rarely deadly.

So as far as pregnancy problems... GD is one of the better ones to have. Causes a c-section and about a week in the ICU.

The GCT short version weeds out about 90% of moms who are showing no signs of gestational diabetes (nearly all moms have SOME insulin resistance, pregnancy hormones really mess with us, but not at levels high enough to hurt us. Around 5% of women get gestational diabetes.. but about 15% test "probable" in the short version.

Only about 1/3 of women who test "proabable" in the short version actually have GD... but since they're probable for it... they all get the definitive test.

Which is about 5 hours long.

So, for me, a 1 hour test and a sugar crash is worth getting to avoid a 5 hour test with an even bigger sugar crash... but I'd do the 5 hour one if it made sure that we weren't looking at brain damage, heart defects, c-sect due to enlarged baby, PICU for baby's low blood sugar, and my own organ damage.

Just me.

As they say...every pregnancy is different. Yes, you have had two normal pregnancies where you didn't have gestational diabetes. But...there is always the chance that something has changed *for this pregnancy*. Your age. Your diet. Your overall fitness level. etc. While your overall risk is probably pretty low, given your previous gestational history, this is such a simple test to potentially pick up a MAJOR issue.

I know how awful the glucose screen can make you feel. It is definitely NOT fun. And the stuff they make you drink is nasty. But I feel like it is a small price to pay. My first pregnancy, I failed by a mere two points. My second pregnancy, I technically passed by 5 points. My perinatologist had me do the extended test. And I would do both the screening, and if need be, the follow up testing, again. Every single time.

Good luck in your decision.

A smaill amount of discomfort from a test can prevent a major amount of health issues if you do have gestational diabetes. I never thought I'd get it, and I did. I was lucky and was able to manage mine with diet only. I gained 15 lbs (I was 15 overweight) and my son was born at 7lb.7oz - a great size as NOT taking care of it can cause the baby to become huge.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/gestational-diabetes/your-b...

The sugar in the test drink is 50g, about the same as in Odwalla's Superfood drink, or JambaJuice Berry Bliss.

Saying no to a few hours of discomfort could cause major ongoing health issues if you develop it and go untreated. To me, it's not worth the risk to myself or my child.

I didn't take it with my second pregnancy, but I used a home birth midwife. I will be skipping it with my third pregnancy too.

I ended up having to do the longer test with my first pregnant and I fainted. After that, I realized there was no way in hell I was going to ever put any more of that awful sugar stuff down my throat! Then my incompetent midwife office told me I had GD when I didn't!!!!!!! I did some research, did you know that GD is a very controversial diagnosis? In fact, it is called by some a diagnosis looking for a disease? That the tests are very unreliable and the only reason why they require them is to help a very small percent of people that actually have or are developing real diabetes? I read somewhere that since it would be so hard to screen those deemed "at risk," it's easier to just make everyone do the tests. The problem is that the first test has a 50% false positive rate, forcing a large group of women (like me) to take the longer test.

ALso, did you know that this diagnosis has very little to change outcomes? All it has done is to inform roughly 2.7% of pregnant ladies that they have GD? Furthermore, most of the dietary suggestions are good for all pregnant women anyway. You need exercise, you need to watch the quality of food you put in your body, etc.

In short, they evidence supporting this so-called disease isn't very good. In fact, there are tons of studies saying there is no support for this testing.

Sorry, this doesn't help you much if you practitioner is going to require you to do it, but I wanted to give the other side to this story, because this test isn't all that important, at least the evidence has yet to prove it.

Sorry, but no one can MAKE you do anything!

I had a doctor get angry with me because I refused to take the medication she prescribed. Well, sorry. You have no idea what's wrong but you want to give me a medication that will possibly shut down my thyroid permanently? Even though my thyroid levels are completely normal? Ummm no thanks.

I have since seen three different docs and they all thought that the first was crazy. It bothers me that people just take everything the docs say and do it, even if it doesn't make sense.

it never occurred to me that someone would turn it down.. i wouldnt. just because u passed both other times u took it doesnt mean this time you will.. every pregnancy is different .. i had so many people scare me about this test saying how horrible it was and they couldnt keep down the stuff u have to drink.. i was beyond nervous.. i drank that stuff in like 2 minutes, i thought it tasted good i had absolutley no problem with it .. i know that ddoesnt really have much to do with what youre asking but it just shows how different every pregnancy is .. i think you should take it .. i know if u say u want to turn it down your doctor will definatley advise u against doing so

Having being that my third pregnancy had so many things go wrong I would never skip on a test that could potentially tell if something life threatening could happen to you, especially being that it is a very simple test.

I always failed my first test and always had to take the 3 hour test with my last I requested to not take the 3 hour test since I always passed the 3 hour test anyway and we agreed not to but I had to have my blood sugar checked at each following apt just in case. So you could make a deal with you doctor like this if need be....don't take the test but get pricked at each apt just to make sure things are still o.k.

If it was a test to find something untreatable then I could understand you deciding not to bother. Look up what happens to the baby if you have gestational diabetes and then decide if it is important for you to take a test. GD is treatable but needs to be diagnosed. Personally my baby's health as well as my own was more important than a bit of discomfort during the test.

Two great answers that make me see the importance of this test.
My doctor does not allow people to turn down this test because most people who have a problem can't feel it.

I'm pregnant right now (36 wks) and I skipped it this time, and last. I am an RN, and knew exactly what I was skipping.
GD is not "life-threatening" as many here have said. They really need to do more research before throwing out terms like that. Yes, PROLONGED elevated blood glucose can be dangerous, but the biggest issue you will face is a large baby who has temporary sugar issues in the 4 hours after birth, that can be controlled with sugar water, breastmilk, and/or formula. ALL babies are stuck for BS after birth anyway, and about half of all babies have BS issues after birth, regardless of mom's GD status.

And, if you have GD, and pay attention to your body, you WILL notice symptoms.

I opted to test my own BS with a finger stick at work a couple of different times over the course of a week, and my OB was fine with that.

Your best bet is to watch your weight, exercise, and eat correctly right from the beginning.

Nope, you shouldn't turn it down. I didn't have GD with my first two, and did with the third. The older you are, the more likely it is. If you are carrying extra weight after the first two, you are also more likely to get it. I hate to think what would have happened if I hadn't been diagnosed, changed my diet and received the proper care and monitoring with my third.

So you will feel awful for a little bit, and the baby will have a bit of a sugar rush for a little while. Big deal? Not in the scheme of things.

I considered turning it down with my first pregnancy, but ultimately decided to do it. I was in sub-Saharan Africa at the time, where the HIV rate is about 20%, and I was concerned about the blood draw. When I had it done I was at a very busy clinic and had to wait a total of almost 15 hours on a completely empty stomach (other than the sugar goo), which was miserable. I got light-headed several times. The reason that pushed me over the edge to take the test was the additional test for malaria, which has a very high instance of fetal mortality. It was worth it for me to get the result of both tests. Either way, it is your choice. You can always say no. You can always change your mind. You could get a home monitor and test your sugar yourself a few times a day, and get the test if you ever get a number over something that you and your doc can agree on, say 150. It doesn't have to be a black and white choice, where you just blindly refuse to ever do it no matter what.

I have a couple of friends who had to refuse it because they had gastric bypass surgery prior to getting pregnant and were told by their GP doctors that a glucose screening wouldn't be accurate for them. A very good friend is pregnant right now and her OB keeping pressuring her for the glucose screening even though she had gastric bypass done two years ago. If she has the glucose test it'll look as if she has gestational diabetes even if she doesn't, and she's even getting her bypass doctor to go to bat for her with the OB. This particular OB just isn't informed enough about bypass surgery and what it does to your body after the surgery, especially during pregnancy.

But I have a feeling that's not what you're talking about. ;-)

I also tried to not do the 3 hour test with my second. I just knew I didn't have GD. My doctor said that would be fine, but then I would be treated as if I did have GD. She wanted me to get a blood tester and check my sugar regularly, as well as eat very specifically. She was very stern about this.

I gave in. I did the 3 hour test. Hated it, but did it. I didn't have GD.

What I did learn though from the gals doing the testing is that it is better to do a light fasting before the first blood draw, even though they say you don't need to. They say it is more accurate that way. But, I'm assuming you've already done the first blood draw and didn't pass.

Just do the 3 hour test. Use it as a Mommy's Time Out and catch up on a phone call or do some reading. I didn't enjoy it at all, but I'm glad I KNEW for sure I didn't have GD. It wasn't worth the risk.