Community› The Bump Message Boards› Natural Birth
Natural Birth
New Discussion

Glucose test VS. modified glucose screen (post-prandial test)

vcabbywvcabbyw member
in Natural Birth

I'm familiar with the common glucose screen using Glucola but my Midwife also presented another option, she nicknamed it the "breakfast test". Which is the modified glucose screen (post-prandial test). She sent me home with some information about each, and encouraged me to call with questions.

 For those who haven't heard of it before, they test your fasting blood sugar before, then send you out for a high sugar breakfast. Then send you out for a walk. Two hours after eating, they test your blood sugar again. 

I haven't heard of the "breakfast test" before, but it seems to be a popular option in midwifery care. She also admitted that she hasn't seen any studies comparing the two, and is not considered valid by medical standards. It seems as if there are too many variables (IE: the amount of sugar eaten, how vigorous the exercise is). However, it does demonstrate how your body reacts to actual food.

 Any insight? Obviously,  undiagnosed or uncontrolled GD is not something I want to mess around with.

Report Reply to Post

Re: Glucose test VS. modified glucose screen (post-prandial test)

  • A37liciaA37licia member

    I too plan to do the meal test. It's my typical breakfast anyway (I was told, toast, eggs, juice).  It's natural,

    I skipped the GD test entirely last time, no issues. But, it's pretty harmless to do it this way, and I have a history of diabetes in my family, and I'm overweight (a bit each more from each pregnancy), though I'd rather skip it again, I think it would be better to do it. I'm a home VBAC, so if I transferred to the hospital, I now think having a (hopefully) negative GD result will make for smoother transition and birth. My babies have been 9lb 2 oz and 8lb 4 oz so they might want to be pushing tests on baby needlessly. 

    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • PepperBugPepperBug member

    I've never taken the post-prandial test, but I have had GD with two different pregnancies.  If you have a breakfast that includes at least 60 carbs, and you test your blood sugar 2 hours after and it's over 120, I would think that would be a reliable indication that you have GD and vice versa.  Even with very well-controlled GD, my numbers would probably go above 120 with a 60+ carb load in the morning.  If you don't normally walk after eating breakfast, then I would personally not walk during the test either.  My thought being that if your regular diet/exercise is raising your blood sugar above 120 two hours after a meal, you need to be aware of that and make some changes for your and your baby's health.  However, I also don't see a big deal in taking the normal 1 hour test either.

    Report Reply
  • Mrs E in OregonMrs E in Oregon
    My only concern would be that this breakfast test isn't a standard unit of measurement. How may grams of sugar and the ratio of carbs to protein and fat. I opted forthe option of testing my blood sugar for a week, 3-4x/day including an AM fasting blood sugar and I am so glad I did. I did 2 weeks from wk 27-28 then again at 33. At 33 it was looking like it was elevating so I did another week. I feared that just because I didn't have it at week 26, I may develop insulin issues later on and not be diaganosed. As it was, I just cut down on the amount of fruit I eat and it is back down to regular 90%+ of the time. I also cut out the occasional scoop of ice cream :(
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"