Pregnancy : 28th Week

Early morning of April 28th I went to the laboratory for my 2nd OGTT. I and hubby were relieved that the results still came in normal.

I was also scheduled for another check-up with Dr. Candelario. Thankfully, I didn't have to go back to Dr. Solimen because as the OGTT showed, I did not have GDM.

Dr. Candelario did a quick scan of my baby boy. Below is a screen capture of him at 28 weeks.

My baby boy was in breech position though, so I'm hoping that he would position himself properly in time for his birth.

me at 30 weeks far along

As of this writing, I am already halfway through my 32nd week of pregnancy.

Next appointment with Dr. Candelario is on May 28th. I can't wait to see another scan of my baby!

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)

Because Dr. Solimen was skeptical about how the OGCT was done on me, he recommended me to do a 75g OGTT, which I did three days after my initial consultation with him. No preparation was necessary, except that I had to fast for 8 hours before taking the test.

The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) measures the body's ability to use a type of sugar, called glucose, that is the body's main source of energy. An OGTT can be used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes. An OGTT is most commonly done to check for diabetes that occurs with pregnancy (Source: http://www.webmd.com)

I and hubby got to the lab at 7 a.m., only to find out that it opens at 8 a.m. That meant extended fasting for me. 

As soon as the lab opened, the nurse in charged drew blood from me. This is for the fasting blood sugar test. 

Then she gave me a bottle of 75g glucose drink, which I had to consume within 5 minutes. It was orange and very sweet, but not very difficult to consume. 

After that, I had to wait an hour for the second blood extraction. This was for the 1-hour post 75g glucose test. I wasn't allowed to leave the lab though because using my energy on walking would affect the result of the test. After my blood was drawn the second time I still had to wait another hour for the 3rd blood sample. This was for the 2-hour post 75g glucose test. I was already very hungry, but I shouldn't eat or drink anything, nor leave the lab, until after the third test. Boredom and hunger got through me, I was ready to pass out. Good thing I still made it until the last test.

That afternoon, I and hubby went to Dr. Solimen to show the results.

Although data showed a little bit high numbers, these were still within the normal values. Fortunately, I didn't have GDM. However, Dr. Solimen asked me to do another 75g OGTT on my 28th week of pregnancy because GDM usually "shows up" from that time.

Pregnancy: 23rd week

Back from hiatus...I must admit I was too lazy to update my blog...haha...

On March 25th was another check-up with Dr. Candelario. I was on my 23rd week of pregnamcy. Everything about my baby boy was fine.

-Fetal Hart Rate: 161bpm

-Average Ultrasonic Age: 22w4d

-Ultrasonic EDC: 7/25/2014

-Estimated Fetal Weight: 574g

-Presentation: Cephalic

-Placenta: Posterior high lying, Grade II

I was also due for a 50g Oral Glucose Challenge Test (OGCT) on March 31st. This test is done to pregnant women to check if they have gestational diabetes (or gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM). 

Gestational diabetes is a condition in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy (especially during their third trimester). Gestational diabetes is caused when insulin receptors do not function properly. This is likely due to pregnancy-related factors such as the presence of human placental lactogen that interferes with susceptible insulin receptors. This in turn causes inappropriately elevated blood sugar levels. (Source: Wikipedia) 

When I went to the lab Dr. Candelario referred me to for the test, they gave me a mug of warm colorless glucose. It was very sweet and I had to consume it within 5 minutes. I had to go back after an hour to have my blood drawn. It was already lunchtime then, but I shouldn't eat or drink anything before the blood extraction. I was starving. 

Unfortunately, the test result showed a very high value implying that I had GDM. As indicated in the lab result, the normal value should be between 70 and 110 mg/dl, but mine was 246 mg/dl. 

I went to Dr. Candelario to show the result. She referred me to Dr. Solimen, an endocrinologist for a second opinion. Hubby and I got to Dr. Solimen's clinic on the same day at 4 p.m., but we were already 36th on his list of patients so we got the chance to talk to him after 2 hours.

Dr. Solimen asked me to do another test and referred me to a diagnostic laboratory he was affiliated with.