Gestational Diabetes Test: What To Expect
Gestational diabetes occurs only during pregnancy, and it usually goes away once you’ve delivered your baby. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes have higher than normal blood sugar. This is because their bodies aren’t producing enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Gestational diabetes can happen at almost any time during pregnancy, but it typically occurs between 24 to 28 weeks. This is also when testing typically takes place. Getting tested for gestational diabetes is an important part of prenatal care. Doctors test all pregnant women at least once during pregnancy. Your doctor will consider your risk factors when determining when you should have this test and how often you should have it. Learn what to expect during this test and how to prepare. Many women who have gestational diabetes have no symptoms. If symptoms do appear, it’s possible you may overlook them because they’re similar to typical pregnancy symptoms. These symptoms may include: frequent urination extreme thirst fatigue snoring You should call your doctor if you’re experiencing these symptoms to a greater degree than is normal for you. The exact cause of gestational diabetes is unknown, but it may be due to hormones your placenta produces. These hormones help your baby grow, but they can also stop insulin from doing its job. If your body can’t make enough insulin, the sugar in your bloodstream stays put. The sugar is then unable to convert into energy in the cell. This is called insulin resistance. If it’s left untreated, gestational diabetes can have significant consequences for both you and your baby. Once your doctor knows you have this condition, they’ll work with you on a treatment plan to ensure your and your baby’s health. Any pregnant woman can g Continue reading >>
Is It Too Late To Get Gestational Diabetes Test?
Is it too late to get Gestational Diabetes test? Started by mandarins, Jan 19 2011 07:09 PM I am 30 wks pregnant in 2 days. I have not had my GD test done yet but was going to in next few days. I have heard that its suppose to be done between 26 -28 weeks. I dont think im hih risk and neither does my widwife but im still being urged to get it done as they say there are no obvious symptoms. My m/w is away for another week ... is it worth me still getting it done at this stage. I'd be happy not to bother and dont want the hassle of doing it if im too late to get an effective result anyhow. My pathology request form also say I need TFT (thyroid?) HIV (um, really doubt I got that) and Hb Ferritin blood group antibodies - not sure what that bit is? I know a friend of mine didn't have hers until after 30 weeks I think. She ended up having pretty bad GD. (because of work I had trouble scheduling an appointment). I believe the test is usually done earlier so that if you have it they can get it under control. If you have the test now it will still give an accurate result but obviously it could mean you may have had it undiagnosed for a while. I had mine at 32 weeks because I knew it was completely unnecessary. Only reason I did it in the end was they told me they would refuse me to deliver in the hospital birth centre if I didn't do it grr You can absolutely have the glucose challenge test at 31 weeks if you wish to do so. The aim of having it at 26-28 weeks is because gestational diabetes will have typically developed by then. The test is just as effective at 31 weeks as it is between 26-28 weeks. It does have a significant false positive rate, although the vast majority (~75%) of women who 'fail' the screening test GCT pass the GTT (which is the diagnostic test). Antibodies- Continue reading >>
Week 28: Testing Positive For Gestational Diabetes
How I'm changing up my routine as I head into the third trimester. I’m in the home stretch now. Just about 12 weeks (plus or minus) until I can finally meet my baby boy Finn! The main overriding themes right now are continued low back pain, and being sleepier than I have been. To help with the low back pain, I’ve employed an array of various pillows when I sleep. I don’t have the one many pregnant women seem to use—the full body pillow—but I do have the fantastic Boppy Pregnancy Wedge, which really does help me sleep better when I stick it under my belly. Besides that, I’m using my usual memory foam pillow under my head, and a regular cheap bed pillow between my knees. Although it’s a bit of a physical feat everytime I need to roll from one side to the other to arrange it all just-so, the pillow variety is keeping me comfortable enough to sleep through the night at the moment. My naps have increased in length and frequency. Now, it seems that I need a good 3 to 3 ½ hour nap at least 3 times a week. On the other days, I don’t nap at all. But when I do feel tired, it’s almost like I’ve been hit with a tranquilizer dart. Must lay down NOW! I am behind on some things I really need to get done, but I am not being too hard on myself about it. Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy the rest now, so that’s what I’m doing. A bigger piece of news to report: At 26 ½ weeks, my health care provider had me take the GTT, or glucose tolerance test, for gestational diabetes. I’ve been feeling so great that I really couldn’t believe it, but my test came back positive—just barely. Apparently, I’m just over the line into having the diagnosis. What exactly does this mean, I wondered. According to the American Diabetes Association, many pregnant women get it and Continue reading >>
Diagnosis
Print Medical experts haven't agreed on a single set of screening guidelines for gestational diabetes. Some question whether gestational diabetes screening is needed if you're younger than 25 and have no risk factors. Others say that screening all pregnant women is the best way to identify all cases of gestational diabetes. When to screen Your doctor will likely evaluate your risk factors for gestational diabetes early in your pregnancy. If you're at high risk of gestational diabetes — for example, your body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy was 30 or higher or you have a mother, father, sibling or child with diabetes — your doctor may test for diabetes at your first prenatal visit. If you're at average risk of gestational diabetes, you'll likely have a screening test during your second trimester — between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Routine screening for gestational diabetes Initial glucose challenge test. You'll drink a syrupy glucose solution. One hour later, you'll have a blood test to measure your blood sugar level. A blood sugar level below 130 to 140 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 7.2 to 7.8 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), is usually considered normal on a glucose challenge test, although this may vary by clinic or lab. If your blood sugar level is higher than normal, it only means you have a higher risk of gestational diabetes. You'll need a glucose tolerance test to determine if you have the condition. Follow-up glucose tolerance testing. You'll fast overnight, then have your blood sugar level measured. Then you'll drink another sweet solution — this one containing a higher concentration of glucose — and your blood sugar level will be checked every hour for three hours. If at least two of the blood sugar readings are higher than normal, you'll Continue reading >>
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes definition and facts Risk factors for gestational diabetes include a history of gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, There are typically no noticeable signs or symptoms associated with gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes can cause the fetus to be larger than normal. Delivery of the baby may be more complicated as a result. The baby is also at risk for developing low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) immediately after birth. Following a nutrition plan is the typical treatment for gestational diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight and following a healthy eating plan may be able to help prevent or minimize the risks of gestational diabetes. Women with gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes after the pregnancy What is gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes is diabetes, or high blood sugar levels, that develops during pregnancy. It occurs in about 4% of all pregnancies. It is usually diagnosed in the later stages of pregnancy and often occurs in women who have no prior history of diabetes. What causes gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes is thought to arise because the many changes, hormonal and otherwise, that occur in the body during pregnancy predispose some women to become resistant to insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by specialized cells in the pancreas that allows the body to effectively metabolize glucose for later usage as fuel (energy). When levels of insulin are low, or the body cannot effectively use insulin (i.e., insulin resistance), blood glucose levels rise. What are the screening guidelines for gestational diabetes? All pregnant women should be screened for gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. Most pregnant women are tested between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy (see Continue reading >>
- Women in India with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Strategy (WINGS): Methodology and development of model of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (WINGS 4)
- Leeds diabetes clinical champion raises awareness of gestational diabetes for World Diabetes Day
- Gestational Diabetes: The Overlooked Form of Diabetes
Is The Glucose Test During Pregnancy Optional?
Doctors recommend having a glucose test for gestational diabetes, but it's not mandatory. Here's what you need to know to make an informed choice. It’s an appointment on the calendar most pregnant women dread: the glucose test (or oral glucose screening), usually scheduled around week 26 to week 28 of pregnancy. You’ve no doubt seen many Instagram or Facebook pics posted by women tasked with drinking the super-sweet, typically orange liquid to gauge their body’s ability to handle glucose. This test is one of the ways to screen for gestational diabetes, a temporary form of diabetes that occurs only in pregnancy and typically resolves after delivery. The mama-to-be drinks the juice, hangs out for an hour in the waiting room, and then has blood taken to measure her glucose levels. (Ask your doctor, midwife or blood lab if you should fast beforehand or not—it can vary by clinic.) Your care provider may also specify a time constraint, like drinking the whole bottle in three to five minutes. A reading higher than 7.7 millimoles/L on the gestational diabetes chart calls for further follow-up testing, often called the glucose tolerance test. A reading higher than 11.1 millimoles/L likely means a gestational diabetes diagnosis. When I was expecting my second baby, the nurse at my bloodwork clinic told me there are two kinds of women when it comes to the glucose test: chuggers and sippers. I was totally a chugger. I downed that syrupy drink in just a few mouthfuls, to get the test over with as soon as possible. But a couple of days later, the doctor’s office called me back. There had been an error at the lab. I had to do the test again. I chugged the second time, too, eager to get back to work. That time my results were borderline, just a hair above acceptable levels, a Continue reading >>
Gestational Diabetes During Pregnancy
Has your doctor diagnosed you with gestational diabetes (GD or GDM), a form of diabetes that appears only during pregnancy? While it might feel overwhelming at first, it turns out that this pregnancy complication is much more common than you might think. In fact, up to 9.2 percent of pregnant women have GD, according to a 2014 analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Know that with careful monitoring and treatment, it can be managed, and you can have a safe and healthy pregnancy. READ MORE: What causes gestational diabetes? Who's most at risk? What are the symptoms? How is it diagnosed? What are the complications? How can you prevent gestational diabetes? How is it treated? What happens to mom and baby after birth? What causes gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes usually starts between week 24 and week 28 of pregnancy when hormones from the placenta block insulin — a hormone produced in the pancreas that regulates the body's metabolism of fats and carbs and helps the body turn sugar into energy — from doing its job and prevent the body from regulating the increased blood sugar of pregnancy effectively. This causes hyperglycemia (or high levels of sugar in the blood), which can damage the nerves, blood vessels and organs in your body. Who’s most at risk for gestational diabetes? While researchers aren't certain why some women get gestational diabetes while others don’t, they do know that you may be at an increased risk if: You are overweight. Having a BMI of 30 or more going into pregnancy is one of the most common risk factors for gestational diabetes because the extra weight affects insulin's ability to properly keep blood sugar levels in check. You have a higher level of abdominal fat. Recent research published in the American Di Continue reading >>
Glucola Pregnancy Glucose Test: What I Do
In my post about the pregnancy and prenatal care options I chose, I mention that I don’t take the pregnancy glucose test that requires drinking glucola (that syrupy orange or grape drink) and that I use an alternate method of testing. I’ve gotten so many questions about this that I decided it deserved its own post, especially while I am still pregnant and the topic is fresh on my mind. IMPORTANT: Please note that I am only writing about my own personal experience with this and the decisions I made after consulting with my OB or midwife (depending on which pregnancy it was). The information in this post (or any post I write) is not medical advice in any way… I’m just sharing my experience. Always consult with your own medical providers before making health decisions, especially during pregnancy, and make sure that you find providers who are willing to work with you to make the best decision for your pregnancy. All that being said, here’s what I do when it comes to the pregnancy glucose test. What is the Pregnancy Glucose Test? This was one of the sections I found in all of the many pregnancy books I read when pregnant with my first child. Current guidelines call for a glucose challenge test somewhere between 24-28 weeks of pregnancy to test for gestational diabetes. This test typically involves drinking a sweetened drink called Glucola that contains 50, 75, or 100 grams of sugar in different forms. In most cases, the first part of this test is an Oral Glucose Challenge Test (OGCT) that involves drinking the 50 gram solution and having a blood test exactly one hour later to measure blood sugar. If a woman passes this test, she typically won’t be given further testing for gestational diabetes. If a woman does not pass the test, a longer test involving a higher Continue reading >>
28 Weeks Pregnant
Summary Week 28: your baby is putting on weight rapidly by storing fat under their skin, and their lungs are developed enough that they could breathe air if they were to be born early. Gestational diabetes may be diagnosed in the third trimester. Find out what lifestyle changes might help. Laying down fat in week 28 By the time you’re 28 weeks pregnant, your baby is fully formed and weighs just over 2lbs1. With the majority of their body systems working well, much of their development now centres around growth. Part of this involves laying down the fat stores1 that will keep them warm after birth. Your baby is so well developed at this stage that if they were born now, their lungs would be capable of breathing air, albeit with the help of a ventilator2. Have you heard your baby’s heartbeat recently? As your antenatal appointments become more frequent, your midwife will be checking it more often and you may be able to listen in, either through an ultrasound or a stethoscope. Their heart rate has slowed to around 140 beats per minute at this stage, and your partner may even be able to hear it by putting an ear to your abdomen1. As your baby grows, they have less space in your womb to move around, so you’ll probably feel even the smallest stretch or kick. Gestational diabetes Keeping a balanced diet while you’re pregnant is vital to ensure your baby gets all the nutrients they need to develop healthily. It’s important for your own health too. Some women develop gestational diabetes while they’re pregnant, usually in their third trimester3. There are a number of reasons why some women may be more likely to develop this condition than others, including being overweight and having a body mass index of over 30 before pregnancy4. "Some women develop gestational diab Continue reading >>
Gestational Diabetes
What Is Gestational Diabetes? Gestational diabetes sometimes develops when a woman is pregnant. It’s when the blood glucose level (blood sugar level) of the mother goes too high during pregnancy. Having an elevated blood glucose level during pregnancy can cause problems for your baby—if it’s left untreated. Fortunately, doctors are vigilant about checking for gestational diabetes so that it can be identified and effectively managed. A pro-active treatment plan helps you have a good pregnancy and protects the health of your baby. Gestational Diabetes Symptoms Gestational diabetes doesn’t often cause noticeable symptoms for the mother. Other types of diabetes (eg, type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes) do cause symptoms such as increased thirst, but that is hardly ever noticed in gestational diabetes. Because there aren’t often symptoms, it’s very important to be tested for a high blood glucose level when you’re pregnant. (Your doctor will most likely test you for gestational diabetes sometime between the 24th and 28th week. You can learn more about the diagnostic process here.) Then your doctor will know if you need to be treated for gestational diabetes. Gestational Diabetes Causes and Risk Factors Gestational diabetes develops when your body isn’t able to produce enough of the hormone insulin during pregnancy. Insulin is necessary to transport glucose—what your body uses for energy—into the cells. Without enough insulin, you can build up too much glucose in your blood, leading to a higher-than-normal blood glucose level and perhaps gestational diabetes. The elevated blood glucose level in gestational diabetes is caused by hormones released by the placenta during pregnancy. The placenta produces a hormone called the human placental lactogen (HPL), also Continue reading >>
- Women in India with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Strategy (WINGS): Methodology and development of model of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (WINGS 4)
- Leeds diabetes clinical champion raises awareness of gestational diabetes for World Diabetes Day
- Gestational Diabetes: The Overlooked Form of Diabetes
Glucose Screening Tests During Pregnancy
TWO-STEP TESTING During the first step, you will have a glucose screening test: You DO NOT need to prepare or change your diet in any way. You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose. Your blood will be drawn 1 hour after you drink the glucose solution to check your blood glucose level. If your blood glucose from the first step is too high, you will need to come back for a 3-hour glucose tolerance test. For this test: DO NOT eat or drink anything (other than sips of water) for 8 to 14 hours before your test. (You also cannot eat during the test.) You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose, 100 grams (g) . You will have blood drawn before you drink the liquid, and again 3 more times every 60 minutes after you drink it. Each time, your blood glucose level will be checked. Allow at least 3 hours for this test. ONE-STEP TESTING You need to go to the lab one time for a 2-hour glucose tolerance test. For this test: DO NOT eat or drink anything (other than sips of water) for 8 to 14 hours before your test. (You also cannot eat during the test.) You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose (75 g). You will have blood drawn before you drink the liquid, and again 2 more times every 60 minutes after you drink it. Each time, your blood glucose level will be checked. Allow at least 2 hours for this test. Continue reading >>
Gestational Diabetes
Pregnancy Health Gestational Diabetes is a form of diabetes brought on by pregnancy which leads to higher than normal blood sugar levels. Pregnant women are screened in the second trimester to see how they metabolise glucose. If your blood sugar is high you will be invited for a full glucose tolerance test to diagnose gestational diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes your antenatal team will set out a management plan for the rest of the pregnancy and birth. Video Tutorial In Short Gestational diabetes means diabetes when you are pregnant. Symptoms include higher than normal blood sugar. Pregnant women are screened between 24-28 weeks with a Lucozade or soda test to see how efficiently they process a known amount of glucose in an hour. If your reading is high you will be asked to take a full three-hour glucose tolerance test to diagnose gestational diabetes. Most women asked the take this test will be found not to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs in 3-5% pregnancies. The risk increases if you are overweight or an older woman. If you have gestational diabetes your baby may grow very large which might have implications for your birth plan. Gestational diabetes can occur by chance, or maybe because a pregnant woman is overweight or eating poorly, or the cause may be hormonal. You can minimise your chances of getting gestational diabetes by eating healthily and avoiding a high sugar diet. Gestational diabetes, or diabetes during pregnancy, is characterised by higher than normal sugar in your blood during pregnancy. It can be detected by screening when you are between 24-28 weeks pregnant. The test for gestational diabetes is called the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) after the sweet drink your blood will be tested Continue reading >>
- Women in India with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Strategy (WINGS): Methodology and development of model of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (WINGS 4)
- Leeds diabetes clinical champion raises awareness of gestational diabetes for World Diabetes Day
- Gestational Diabetes: The Overlooked Form of Diabetes
Glucose Tolerance Test - And What The Results Mean
If you've been told you've got to have a GTT, here's what you need to do, what to expect on the day and how this could indicate gestational diabetes The Glucose Tolerance Test (aka the GTT - not to be mixed up with a G&T) is a test carried out during pregnancy to detect whether you may have Gestational Diabetes (GD). No, not everyone who's pregnant has one. You'll only be offered one if your midwife thinks there's a likelihood you could develop Gestational Diabetes during your pregnancy. "Not every hospital routinely carries out glucose tolerance tests," says independent midwife Pam Wild, "but you can ask for one if you are worried and you think you need to be tested." While most tests are carried out between 26 and 28 weeks, sometimes you may be given the test around 16 weeks, depending on your medical history. Main reasons your midwife or GP will recommend you take a Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) are: you have previously had diabetes in pregnancy you have a history of diabetes in your immediate family if you have previously had a very big baby (4.5kg or heavier) if they have found sugar or ketones in your urine for pregnant women of certain ethnic origins (Black Caribbean, South Asian and Middle Eastern) if your BMI (body mass index) is 30 or above A glucose tolerance test (GTT) or oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) measures your blood glucose levels. In the test, your blood is taken, and you're then given a glucose drink. After 2 hours your blood is taken again to see how quickly your body is able to clear the glucose from your blood. That gives an indication of whether you're showing signs of GD. How do I take a glucose tolerance test? Make sure you have a good meal as you'll have to fast from midnight and won't be able to eat anything until after the test - although Continue reading >>
Glucose Screening And Glucose Tolerance Tests
Why do I need a glucose screening test during pregnancy? Most healthcare practitioners routinely recommend a glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT) between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy to check for gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a high blood sugar condition that some women get during pregnancy. Between 2 and 5 percent of expectant mothers develop this condition, making it one of the most common health problems during pregnancy. And because the condition rarely causes any symptoms, testing is the only way to find out whether you have it. Like any screening test, the GCT won't give you a diagnosis. Instead, it's designed to identify as many women as possible who may have a problem and need more testing to find out. So a positive result doesn't mean that you have gestational diabetes. In fact, only about a third of women who test positive on the glucose screen actually have the condition. If you test positive on the screening, you'll need to take the glucose tolerance test (GTT) – a longer, more definitive test that tells you for sure whether you have gestational diabetes. Your practitioner may want you to be screened earlier than 24 weeks if a routine urine test shows a lot of sugar in your urine or if you're considered high risk. If the results are normal, you'll be screened again at 24 to 28 weeks. Of course, if you were diagnosed with diabetes before pregnancy, you won't need to be screened. Instead, you'll continue to work with your practitioner to manage your condition during pregnancy. How is the glucose screening test done? When you arrive for the test, you're given a sugar solution that contains 50 grams of glucose. The stuff tastes like a very sweet soda pop (it comes in cola, orange, or lime flavor), and you have to Continue reading >>
Glucose Screening And Glucose Tolerance Test
Nearly 1 in 10 women will develop gestational diabetes (GD or GDM) during pregnancy — which is why almost all practitioners screen for it in all their patients. Fortunately, gestational diabetes is also one of the most easily managed pregnancy complications. When blood sugar is closely controlled through diet, exercise and, if necessary, medication, women with gestational diabetes are likely to have perfectly normal pregnancies and healthy babies. When a glucose screening is done The glucose screen is usually done between week 24 of pregnancy and week 28 of pregnancy. Some practitioners may test earlier if you're at higher risk for the disorder, including if you're obese, 35 or older, have a family history of diabetes or had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy. How a glucose screening is done The glucose screening is simple, especially if you have a sweet tooth. First, you'll drink a very sweet glucose (aka sugar) drink, which usually tastes like flat orange soda. Then you'll wait for one hour before having some blood drawn and tested for glucose. Most women chug the stuff with no problem and no side effects; a few, especially those who don't have a taste for sweet liquids, feel a little queasy afterwards. How a glucose tolerance test is done If the results of your glucose screening show elevated levels of glucose in your blood, it's possible that you might not be producing enough insulin to process the extra glucose in your system. Your doctor may then order a glucose tolerance test. For this diagnostic test, you'll be asked to fast overnight. Your blood will be drawn in the morning, and then you'll drink a higher-concentration glucose mixture. Your blood will be drawn three more times, at one, two, and three hours later. If a glucose tolerance test diagnose Continue reading >>
