Has anyone started having non-stress tests? My OBs wanted me to have NSTs twice a week starting at 28-32 weeks. My perinatologist said I didn't need to until 34 weeks, and didn't want me to start earlier. I am now 32 weeks and as a compromise will have NSTs once a week now until 34 weeks, and then start twice a week after that. I haven't seen any posts about NSTs and am wondering if anyone else has had them and if so when the were started?
T1D since 2000. Multiple daily injections (Humalog and Lantus) and Dexcom CGM. Last A1C 6.2%. First pregnancy, everything looking great so far!
I started NSTs around 34 weeks. I think it is pointless to start them any sooner because I believe the whole point of them is to make sure your baby is getting the right oxygen and nutrients through the placenta (and will therefore not be in distress) which means the placenta is not breaking down yet. If it is breaking down and the baby is in distress, they would induce you early/ do a c-section. But at 28 weeks, there is no way the placenta is breaking down and definitely no way they will take your baby out yet. If you went into labor between 28-32 weeks, they would give you drugs or do other procedures to stop it.
NSTs certainly won't hurt anything even if you started at week 4 or something but in my opinion they won't do any good either and will just waste your time. Ask your OB what the point is of NSTs and what the point is of starting them so early in your pregnancy.
If you haven't done an NST before, they just strap two belts with little round monitors around your belly- a fetal heart-rate monitor, and a contractions monitor (in case you're having any- you probably aren't yet) and lay there for 20-40 minutes. They may have you push a button every time the baby moves. (Seriously, they don't have a monitor that can pick that up automatically?)
Congratulation on your first pregnancy (and great A1C!) and good luck!
My diabetes is the only reason and NST was suggested. I've had no diabetes complications pre-pregnancy or during. What KatherineW said about the purpose of the NST is, is exactly what my perinatologist said, and he's the one who suggested starting at 34 weeks. It is to help pick up any fetal distress early on, which diabetics are at higher risk for if the placenta starts to fail. NSTs are routinely used in other "high risk" pregnancies: high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction... My OBs have been adamant about starting 28-32 weeks and have just told me that this is the "text book" answer as to when to start NSTs for diabetics. Anyways, I had my first on Monday at 32 weeks and everything was great. I'm going to do one more next week and then start 2x per week at 34 weeks, so my OBs and peri are all happy!