pregnant lady refusing GTT

[the_anticarb]

I am pregnant and go on another forum for pregnant ladies, on this there was a pregnant woman who'd been offered the glucose tolerance test because her BMI was above 30, but was put off having the test because of the stigma of diabetes and being fat.
I don't know what I'm more bothered about, the fact that this stigma is now making people shy away from having a test that may indicate they have Gestational Diabetes or the fact that only those with a high BMI or family history of diabetes are screened. Why not all pregnant women, it's not like it's an expensive test to do - a glucose drink and a blood testing kit should do it!
I'm sure there are plenty of women with a BMI below 30 who've had GD and not known - sometimes the only indicator is a big baby at the end but how many stillbirths are due to this? And this policy of only testing the 'fatties' is further stigmatising diabetes as the fat person's disease, which is putting people off being tested for it, which is further nonsense.

This particular person did eventually decide after much persuasion to have the test - but was in two minds about it at first and the 'being thought of as fat' thing was certainly a factor. I think people are embarrassed to have the label of diabetes even if it's just gestational. This illness is becoming stigmatised.

 

[elaine77]

I'm half and half with this, I had to harass the midwives etc... for FOUR weeks to give me a GTT when pregnant with my son because he was huge and I wasn't! He was measuring 40wks at 30wks and they said I was just paranoid! Eventually they did it and I had GD and he was 3 weeks early weighing 9lb 11oz! The GD went away after I had him but low and behold, 2yrs later and it's back and it's autoimmune. I can't stress enough the need to test pregnant women for GD as it is clearly something that could be more than a pregnancy related issue! I've never been overweight and by BMI on diagnosis the 2nd time round was 23 so I agree that they need to give this to everyone!!

However, with regard to the woman who is refusing the test because of the 'stigma' of being obese I don't believe her. If she is that overweight then even just looking at her people would realise she was overweight? She doesn't need a diagnosis for people to see that! A friend of mine has a BMI of over 30 and gave birth to her son not long ago and she was offered the GTT test and she took it and she was fine but before she decided to take it she said to me "I don't want to take it though coz if I have got it then I'm guna have to eat like u do" so in other words the reason she didnt want the test was incase she had to eat healthily and couldn't eat the stuff she loved anymore!!

For people who genuinely feel victimised about their weight obviously that's not a good thing but not everyone is as innocent as they let on and many people know why they're so overweight and simply just do not want to change their diet or take up exercise, it really is as simple as that. My friend freely admits it too!


Diagnosed with GD in 2010, Completely disappeared postpartum. Re-diagnosed December 2012 with type 1.5 diabetes, age 26, BMI 23 currently controlled by only Metformin, 500mg twice a day.

 

[saz1902]

Hi! I would deffo say to all pregnant ladies to be tested! I was not weighty back then, but my midwife noticed i had high sugar levels during a weekly check. I was then diagnosed at 18 weeks with gd. My daughter came 15 weeks early- due to early gd they dont know. I too was given the all clear after she was born, but less than a year later, after massive weight loss and trips to the dr i was diagnosed with t1. large or small- all ladies should be tested to be safe i think!
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