Gestational Diabetes
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The risks they've given have been around bigger baby, shoulder dystocia and chance of cardiac issues or still birth. In my experience, that's the general umbrella of risks for GD. But may not necessarily be the case for me. As I also got late diagnosed.
They’ll never be able to give you your individualised risks sadly as they don’t know them! Do what feels right for you and baby!
Have you had any growth scans to show you’re potentially having a bigger baby, or are they just quoting the general GD risks? If you decline induction, you can ask for additional monitoring - basically to give both you and the docs assurance that baby is still doing fine. I had this today - consultant wanted to book me in for an induction next week, I said no thanks (similar to you, everything is fine with baby, just happen to have a GD diagnosis!) and then he did a quick feel of my tummy and used the Doppler to check heart rate etc and he was happy then and less of the “but do you understand?”. I also read up on this https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/induction-for-gestational-diabetes/ and https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/five-questions-to-ask-if-youre-offered-induction-of-labour/ last night - really useful to help understand what research does/doesn’t show (recommended by my community midwife!)
Ultimately it’s your choice. I have GD and have declined insulin, but I have agreed to an induction tomorrow (I’ll be 40+2). They initially wanted me to induce at 39 weeks but I said no. What do they mean by higher sugars? My fasting ones are very rarely below 5.3. They’re usually 6 or 6. Something. I think ultimately you have to get all the info from them and any other sources and then feel into what feels right for you. For me I knew I didn’t want to induce at 39 weeks but I am feeling quite happy to do it tomorrow (which probably 10 days ago I wouldn’t have expected!)
@Kate no growth scans offered. I asked and they said I was too far along for it to be conclusive to reflect any predictive results of baby's health. It's just general quoting because I have GD basically. I think ill ask for additional monitoring when we are actually giving birth but I have a 2 appointments next week as its my final week so that seems good to me!
@Kate thanks for the article!
@Kathryn sounds like a simular situation which is very reassuring. My fasting is always below the numbers. It's just sometimes my meals are over. But only occasionally since I've been monitoring. But the diabetes consultant said I was uncontrolled even though most of my meals were regulated... good luck for your induction tomorrow!!
Hmm, it sounds like your numbers are fine then. They all have different opinions too which can be frustrating. Trust your gut!
I agree ask for more advice. However I remember being told the greatest risk gd poses to baby is around the time they are born and it’s most important to keep sugars under control at this time.
You definitely need to ask for more advice around risks for you and baby whether you accept or decline either option. Sounds like they haven’t given you all the information they can and want to push you into an induction. Both options have their risks and benefits and spontaneous labour is definitely better in most circumstances.