Hi all - I’ve just been diagnosed with GD at 36 weeks after having a negative GTT three weeks ago. I don’t understand how my 2 hour number went from 3.9 to 8.2 in such a short period of time. It’s my second baby and I wasn’t even screened the first time round as I have no background risk factors. I’ve been given just one week to control my glucose levels with diet, otherwise I’ll be moving on to meds. I wondered whether anyone else had been diagnosed late in pregnancy and was able to avoid the need to take meds? Also, was anyone able to achieve a normal delivery with GD?
Late onset GD
- Thread starter yolo85
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Hello and welcome to the forum @yolo85
I was a little earlier than you as I was diagnosed at 23 weeks, but thought this was late and went straight onto insulin for the duration of the pregnancy, coming off it once my daughter was born, I am type 1 now as I was diagnosed 3 years afterwards after falling ill one week whilst on holiday, but this is rare to develop t1 after GD.
It's incredibly hard so late on to suddenly make great changes in your diet, have you seen a dietitian to review your current diet and see where changes can be made ? Also have you been given a blood glucose meter ? Personally I haven't heard anyone so far being diagnosed so far into pregnancy, so it sounds like your in a unique situation here, the issue with GD is baby absorbing all your sugars and growing to a large birth weight, hence why controlling glucose levels is important, but you should be on very close watch now too with your team.
I was a little earlier than you as I was diagnosed at 23 weeks, but thought this was late and went straight onto insulin for the duration of the pregnancy, coming off it once my daughter was born, I am type 1 now as I was diagnosed 3 years afterwards after falling ill one week whilst on holiday, but this is rare to develop t1 after GD.
It's incredibly hard so late on to suddenly make great changes in your diet, have you seen a dietitian to review your current diet and see where changes can be made ? Also have you been given a blood glucose meter ? Personally I haven't heard anyone so far being diagnosed so far into pregnancy, so it sounds like your in a unique situation here, the issue with GD is baby absorbing all your sugars and growing to a large birth weight, hence why controlling glucose levels is important, but you should be on very close watch now too with your team.
Wow, thanks for responding so quickly Juicyj. Yes, I’ve been given a monitor and all readings so far have been normal. The dietary changes have been a bit of a shock and I’m only 24 hours into it. Sadly the baby is already on the 100th centile and I have excess fluid which is why I was referred for the GTT in the first place. So I guess the damage has already been done. 
- Messages
- 9,135
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Pump
- Dislikes
- Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Hi @yolo85 It is a shock, I wanted the birth pool, relaxing music etc etc, that all went out the window !! However the shock does focus the mind as you only want the best for baby.
When I was diagnosed at 23 weeks I kept thinking about all the time i'd gone undiagnosed and what the effect of this was, it was the fear of the unknown, but once on insulin I was better controlled, I still had a 9lb 4oz and was induced at 37 weeks due to her size which is common with GD babies, all was fine though once she was born. I wouldn't worry about 'damage' what's done is done, but at least now your on the radar so your care plan will be really good, have you discussed the birthing plan since getting this diagnosis ?
When I was diagnosed at 23 weeks I kept thinking about all the time i'd gone undiagnosed and what the effect of this was, it was the fear of the unknown, but once on insulin I was better controlled, I still had a 9lb 4oz and was induced at 37 weeks due to her size which is common with GD babies, all was fine though once she was born. I wouldn't worry about 'damage' what's done is done, but at least now your on the radar so your care plan will be really good, have you discussed the birthing plan since getting this diagnosis ?
Not yet. I’m seeing the consultant next week in my usual clinic, but that’s the pre-eclampsia risk clinic rather than the diabetic clinic. With hindsight I feel like I might have had undiagnosed GD during my last pregnancy too. My first baby was severely jaundiced after birth and I desperately don’t want that to happen again. Also hoping to avoid C Section and induction if possible but that seems pretty unrealistic now.
