Outcome with Gestational Diabetes

[Ellivort]

I'm on week 3 of managing my early diagnosed GD and am starting to look ahead as to what to expect. I've done lots of reading, but really it is just words on paper and I like to hear real life experiences.

I've added a poll so I hope it works.

I am looking for experiences on birth and labour for those with gestational diabetes. Especially those who were diagnosed early than 28 weeks.

Those hearts are supposed to read < 36 wks

 

[justplay91]

With my first, I had an induced vaginal labor at 39 weeks. With my second, I had a natural vaginal labor at just two days shy of 40 weeks. I was medicated with glyburide with my first, but solely diet controlled with my second (I dropped about 18 lbs between those two pregnancies, which made the GD easier to control with diet alone the second time around). As long as you don't have to go on insulin and your baby still looks good, you'll probably be allowed to labor as you please provided you don't go too far over 40 weeks.

 

[Radkat]

My first was induced at 40+3 mostly due to GD, even though I was very well diet controlled.
My second was natural at 39+6. Dr said I didn't have GD despite failing the GTT since I was well diet controlled.
This one seems to be the same although I'm getting more surprises (higher) in my numbers. Hoping she comes on time bc I really don't want to deal with being pushed to induce.

 

[chathamlady]

First induced at 38 weeks was on insulin. 2Nd induced at 36 weeks diet controlled but developed pre e and baby had a 5cm ovarian cyst(nothing to do with the gd)

 

[justplay91]

Oh, and my babies were 7 lbs 1 oz and 7 lbs 3 oz, respectively. So not big babies at all. I'm a small person, so a perfect weight for my size.
And if you're getting closer to 40 weeks and your Dr starts talking induction... Try having them strip your membranes first and see if that starts it off for you. It sure did for me, and that's what saved me from induction with my second pregnancy.

 

[Ellivort]

Unfortunately I am on insulin. Diet alone didn't put the numbers low enough, so I am not hopeful for a natural outcome.

With DD i had no GD, but water broke at 36wks and had to have pitocin to get things moving. That labour was horrible! She was 6lbs1oz.

My sugars are very well controlled with diet and insulin, but I still fear my OB will push for inducing early. I mean if thats what is safest for me and baby then by all means, but I'm just not familiar with what the criteria would be. Is it a gestational size issue?

I plan to ask him on the Nov 9th when i see him again so we can start the discussion early, but not sure what to expect from that conversation.

My endocrinologist has reassured me at each of my last 3 appts that sugars are really good and I needn't worry, all will be fine, but still I do stress about it!

 

[chathamlady]

They will do nst weekly and probably a biophysical profile. With insulin it can cause the placenta to calicify and baby wont get eveything they need plus there is the chance for a big baby but u can just ask for extra monitoring. Im not sure where u are but in canada they will let u go to your due date u just have to be firm and ask for extra monitoring they will not let u go past 40 wks with gd at least not in my area

 

[Ellivort]

They will do nst weekly and probably a biophysical profile. With insulin it can cause the placenta to calicify and baby wont get eveything they need plus there is the chance for a big baby but u can just ask for extra monitoring. Im not sure where u are but in canada they will let u go to your due date u just have to be firm and ask for extra monitoring they will not let u go past 40 wks with gd at least not in my area

I am also in Canada. Doctors had not mentioned anything about placental calcification so I will need to ask about t hat.

 

[Ellivort]

Google is the devil. :I started looking around for info on placental calcification and instead opened up pandora's box of worry and info that was never given to me by either doctor.

Now I'm freaking out as it now seems my baby has a death sentence ... meanwhile the doctors said, control your blood sugar and all will be well, but apparently its not hat simple

 

[justplay91]

If your sugars are well controlled and you're on insulin, the concern is more with the condition of the placenta than size of the baby. You will definitely have a lot of extra monitoring from about 32 weeks on. You'll have non-stress tests, biophysical profiles, and growth scans. I was induced with my son because he failed an NST and then failed the subsequent biophysical profile.

 

[justplay91]

Don't worry, it's really not as big of a deal as they make it seem. The best thing you can do for it is to control your sugars, and that will make for a good outcome. Every gestational diabetic I know has had a healthy baby with a healthy placenta, even the two women I know who had to use insulin.

 

[chathamlady]

Sorry didnt mean to scare you was just telling you what my doctor said and ya google is evil honestly it is rare but thats why they monitor you any signs of an issue and they will deliver the baby please dont stress out the doctors are going to do everything to make sure u and baby are healthy. I was taking up to 12 units of insulin 4x a day and my baby is now a healthy almost 3 year old.Yes i was induced at 38 weeks because of reduced movement but my placenta ended up being healthy Sure being on insulin means more appointments and closer monitoring but thats really it.

 

[Ellivort]

Thank you for all the replies.

I like to know the full picture and feel like the doctors should have been a little more upfront. No one has even mentioned more appts (although I had figured this was the reality).

I knew it was a serious deal, but they seem to have downplayed it a lot by just saying control your sugars. There seems to be a bit more involved that I can't really control!

I do appreciate all the reassurances that most pregnancies end with a healthy baby

i intend to make discuss this very frankly with both my OB and my Endo at each of my next visits!

 

[FeistyMom]

I am officially on pregnancy #3 with GD after 2 that were normal, but suspected late onset GD. My first two were fairly large babies (8-8.5 lbs). #3 was my first diagnosed GD and I managed my sugar levels with diet and some exercise, and he ended up being my smallest! 7 lbs 6 oz! #4 I did not do as well - in part because it was over the holidays and turns out I have much better will power and self control when it comes to 'summer' carbs than winter carbs :/ She was measuring pretty large, so was induced a week early - and thank goodness. She was 9 lbs 4 oz, and ended up with shoulder dystocia (which I found out is a fairly common issue when sugars aren't well regulated). I will say - being induced kind of sucked. Glad they did it, because the alternative was almost certainly a c-section later on given her size and shoulder width, but it still was significantly crappier than my natural labors.

I'm now testing my sugars again and just about to start 3rd tri with #5.

 

[DreamCatcher_]

I've voted other to see the results.

My first was 10lb 8oz and the dr thinks I may have had undiagnosed GD towards the end of my pregnancy as he measured bang on average at all scans. Will be tested this time round at 24 weeks and then again later on but I wanted to see the outcomes on the poll, just in case x