Why do they induce if you have GD?

[Fabby]

I am just in the process of been tested for Gd

I have been reading some posts on here and alot of women do get induced. I was just wondering what the reasons were to this? Why do they induce? Is it because of the chance of the baby getting too big??

I am trying not to worry about havng GD and i am just he is growing big due to genetics but it is really playing on my mind and this was just one of the questions that has been making me wonder. x

 

[lozzy21]

I think it is because GD babys tend to be bigger.

 

[KatieB]

Hi, I have been diagnosed with GD, my blood sugar level was 0.6 over the limit and was told that I still have to be monitored for it. I'm not overweight but was told it was just one of those things unfortunately and big babies run in my family as well. I now have to monitor my blood sugar 4 times a day so no treats for me at Christmas . Yes, the reason they induce a lot of women with GD is because babies can grow a lot bigger if GD is poorly managed. I was told that it can make delivery difficult as their stomachs can grow larger than average and also fat can be laid down more round their shoulders, making for difficult delivery, so obviously low sugar and low gi diet can hopefully ensure this doesn't happen. I have to have a growth scan at 28, 32 and 36 weeks and may have to be induced at 38 weeks. Hope all goes well for you x

 

[Tanikit]

There are a number of possible reasons for induction - most common is the baby's size, but other reasons include that the placenta can age faster than in a normal pregnancy which increases the risk of stillbirth, and pre eclampsia is often more likely in GD pregnancies which would lead to early induction. These are the most common I think.

 

[Fabby]

which increases the risk of stillbirth, and pre eclampsia is often more likely in GD pregnancies

Is this the case if it was undiagnosed or untreated? Have stillbirth and pre-eclampsia happened even when diagnosed and being treated properly?? x

 

[Tanikit]

Sorry didn't mean to scare you with that - I think if you have been watching it closely and also if you are monitoring movements then the chance of stillbirth becomes much less - also it has decreased lately because of better care and monitoring - most of it would have been badly controlled diabetics and also it would be more than likely to be people who are not being monitored and go past their due dates when the placenta starts to fail. Don't worry about this - just keep monitoring your sugars and the movements (same as non diabetics should)

Its hard to know with the pre eclampsia since it is relatively common even in non GD pregnancies - for example they say the risks are 1:1000 for foetal abnormalities and this rises to 3:1000 then yes there is a 300% increase, but your chances are still very very low (this is just an example and has nothing to do with GD) but the same goes for pre eclampsia - you have a higher risk, but not all that much higher than anyone else. Again they should be watching for it in every pregnant woman.

 

[Fabby]

Thanku. I mean, it hasn't been confirmed yet and i read somewhere on here the other night that on the measurements chart, if babys head and tummy is both measuring big then chances are it is just a big baby whereas if it was just babys tummy that was measuring big than it indicates more to GD. Is that right? I haven't got my appointment untill i am 34 weeks so i dont know what to do in the meantime.... do i diet now?? I am not even over weight.... x

 

[going_crazy]

Just to let you know that I had GD diagnosed at 20weeks and TBH it wasn't very well controlled. They kept scanning me, telling me that my baby would be at least 10-11lb. She was born weighing 9lb 6oz (average for me as my last baby was 9lb 8oz). The GD didn't affect her as such - her sugar levels were fine after birth and I had no problems delivering her.

I refused induction as IMO (after already having an induction with my first DD) inductions make labour and delivery much more stressful (my induced DD ended in an emergency c-section)
Maddison was born one day late and came on her own accord.

Good luck hun xxxx

 

[Tanikit]

Yes, in general a baby of a diabetic will have a normal size head and femur and an enlarged abdominal measurement but even this is not always true - and it is the reason for an increased risk in shoulder dystocia in diabetics. My baby at the moment is measuring about a week ahead and the abdominal measurements are only very slighty ahead of the other measurements - but also know that abdominal measurements are the most inaccurate of the measurements they take by ultrasound anyway.

If you are worried you may have GD but do not have a diagnosis then it is probably ideal to follow a low GI diet and not a diet to lose weight - just eat things that keep your sugars more stable over long periods and stay away from high GI foods like sweets and chocolate and sweetened cooldrinks/juice - basically eat more healthily (look up low GI on google) but unless the tests come back with very high glucose levels you will probably be fine.

My baby was estimated to be big but I am not that small myself and she was 8 pounds 3 ounces which is possibly bigger than she would have been had I not been diabetic, but nonetheless perfcetly within a range for normal size babies of non-diabetic mothers. I am hoping that this one will be about the same or even less.

 

[Sarah10]

Hey i had GD from 19 weeks.. but went undiagnosed til 34 weeks!
Everything worked out great, induced at 39 weeks, had him at 39+3.. weighed 8lb 6 with no delivery problems.
Main reasons they induce slightly earlier is to do with the aging of the placenta, also some babies who's mummies have GD can be bigger than average, however many women are capable of delivering babies of a larger size naturally!
You don't need to follow a 'diet' as such, i would just try to cut out white bread, white pasta, sugary cereal, chocolate/sweets sugary drinks etc xx