I just had the GTT last week and it is not a traumatic test whatsoever. Fasting for 10 hrs, drinking glucose solution and 3 blood test is nothing campared to giving birth. To make it easier fast from 9pm at night go to bed and go to the clinic as soon as it opens in the morning to do the test, it is just boring waiting for 2 hours when all you can think about is eating!! LOL
Having had 3 pregnancies via NHS and going through this one, they are more cautious here but at least they won't let you go over 14 days and deliver HUGE babies like what happened with my sister on her last pregnancy, the girl had to have a spinal block and taken to theatre for repair after delivering a 10lb 3oz baby with no pain relief!!!! she had all the regular urine tests with midwife and was the size of a house and not once was offered a GTT. She has just discovered she is preggers with her third and I advised her to request a GTT this time round.
Were you given a rational for wanting the test to be done? I had GTT last nov before I was pregnant as they thought I had poly cystic ovaries and checking to see if i had diabetes, but i didn't.
Personally, the GTT is the only test I wouldn't skip.
I all 4 of my pregnancies, I have refused any form of testing ( for Downs Syndrome etc), as the outcome of the tests would not affect our decision to continue with the pregnancy.
The only test I allowed was the GTT, and the first 3 pregnancies the results were clear.
I naturally presumed all would be OK 4th time around- but this wasn't to be the case.
I had gestational diabetes during my 4th pregnancy and was insulin dependant.
It does have some serious side affects ( large babies, small babies, hypos during pregnancy and for baby after delivery etc)
I was monitored very closely for the remainder of the pregnancy ( my bub was measuring small for its age as the placenta had been affected by the diabetes). Whilst the pregnancy ended well, and DS didn't suffer any sugar drops at birth, I am still struggling to control sugar levels *sigh*- 6 months after his birth.
For the small inconvenience (fasting, drinking the revolting drink and a couple of blood tests)- personally I would take the GTT.
Sure, but my point is that the 28 week GTT isn't (or shouldn't be) the first line of diagnosis. The urine tests flag up anything a bit strange first and then (in the UK), if they do, then you're sent for the GTT - just because it's not a blanket procedure doesn't mean to say that the women who develop gestational diabetes are left undiagnosed. My cousin developed it in her first (and then second) pregnancy and they were really on top of it straight away.
BUT I also think it depends on how on the ball the midwives/ consultants are. I can't help feeling that in the UK, the midwives really look at the urine results every time, whereas in Dubai, since the GTT is standard, they may rely on that more for diagnosis and gloss over the urine test results.