Normal Blood Sugar Levels During Pregnancy Chart

Blood Sugar Level Chart

A blood sugar level chart can help you understand the levels of healthy blood sugar. Some of the tests listed below must be prescribed and administered by a doctor or medical clinic, but you can also use these charts along with a glucometer (a tool to test blood sugar at home) to decide which foods cause blood sugar spikes, and which to avoid to maintain low levels of blood sugar and hence, good health. Legionella Testing Lab - High Quality Lab Results CDC ELITE & NYSDOH ELAP Certified - Fast Results North America Lab Locations legionellatesting.com Fasting Blood Sugar Test Fasting blood sugar is a measurement of your blood sugar after not eating for 8-12 hours. This test is normally included with a CBC (complete blood chemistry) blood test. A CBC is a test often ordered by doctors when doing a complete health evaluation. Fasting blood sugars are evaluated as follows: Fasting blood sugars after 8-12 without food: Normal blood sugar range: between 60- 100 mg/dL Pre -Diabetic range: between 101- 126 mg /dL Diabetic range: more than 126 mg/dL on two different blood test occasions Oral Glucose Tolerance Test An oral glucose tolerance test is used to test the body’s ability to metabolize a specific amount of glucose, clear it from the blood stream and return blood sugar levels to normal. The patient is asked to eat normally for several days before the test. No food should be taken for 8-10 hours before the test, and there is no eating during the test. To begin the test, a fasting blood sugar is taken. Then the patient drinks a sweet liquid which contains approximately 75 grams of sugar in the form of glucose. The drink must be finished in 5 minutes. After sitting quietly for one to two hours, the patient’s blood sugar is re-tested and evaluated as follows on this blood s Continue reading >>

Pregnancy And Diabetes: When And Why Your Blood Sugar Levels Matter Most

The following is an excerpt from the book Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes by Ginger Vieira and Jennifer Smith, CDE & RD There are two things you can definitely expect will be said to you by total strangers, friends, and several family members because you have diabetes: “Doesn’t that mean your baby will be huge?” “So, is your baby probably going to get diabetes, too?” Both questions are rather rude–sure–but both implications are also very far from accurate. Yes: persistent high blood sugars during pregnancy can lead to a larger baby…but people without diabetes have very large babies, too. And people with diabetes have good ol’ fashioned regularly sized babies, too. There is no way to assure the size of a baby at birth. Skinny women can have huge babies just like an overweight woman can give birth to a very small baby. Women who eat a lot during pregnancy can have small babies! Very little of this is in our control. In the end, you can manage your diabetes extremely tightly and still have a larger than average baby because blood sugar control is not the only thing that impacts the size of your baby at birth, and more importantly, a larger baby is not the only or even most important complication a baby can experience due to mom’s elevated blood sugar levels. No: just because you have diabetes definitely does not mean your baby will have diabetes! And guess what, there’s nothing you can do during pregnancy to prevent or reduce your baby’s risk of developing diabetes…at least not that science and research is aware of at this time. So take a very deep breath, mama, because that is not something you can control, and your baby’s risk of developing type 1 diabetes is actually only about 2 percent higher than the risk of a non-diabetic woman’s baby de Continue reading >>

Real Food For Gestational Diabetes: What You Need To Know

Note From Mommypotamus: When I wrote about natural alternatives to the glucola test, many of you asked what to do if gestational diabetes is diagnosed and confirmed. Today I am so excited to welcome Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, CLT, a registered nutritionist and gestational diabetes educator, who will be filling us in on how to take a real food approach to GD. Lily is the author of Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, a thoroughly researched guide filled with practical guidance and easy-to-follow instructions. It is, hands down, the best resource on the subject that I have found so far. If you or someone you know is looking for information on managing GD with real food, I highly recommend it! Gestational diabetes is never part of any mom’s plan . . . But it is the most common complication of pregnancy, affecting up to 18% of pregnant women. Yet there are many misconceptions about this diagnosis, both in conventional health care and the integrative medicine world. As a registered dietician/nutritionist and certified diabetes educator who specializes in gestational diabetes, I’m going to clear up some of the confusion for you today. Whether or not you have gestational diabetes, this post will help you understand how it develops and why it’s important to maintain normal blood sugar (for all pregnant women, really). I’ll also be sharing why the typical gestational diabetes diet fails and why a real food, nutrient-dense, lower carbohydrate approach is ideal for managing gestational diabetes. What is Gestational Diabetes? Gestational diabetes is usually defined as diabetes that develops or is first diagnosed during pregnancy. However, it can also be defined as “insulin resistance” or “carbohydrate intolerance” during pregnancy. I prefer to rely on the latter descrip Continue reading >>

Understanding Gestational Diabetes: Glucose Monitoring

Fetal Monitoring, Gestational Diabetes, Integrative Medicine, Pregnancy and Birth, Weight Management What is self blood glucose monitoring? Once you are diagnosed as having gestational diabetes, you and your health care providers will want to know more about your day-to-day blood sugar levels. It is important to know how your exercise habits and eating patterns affect your blood sugars. Also, as your pregnancy progresses, the placenta will release more of the hormones that work against insulin. Testing your blood sugar level at important times during the day will help determine if proper diet and weight gain have kept blood sugar levels normal or if extra insulin is needed to help keep the fetus protected. Self blood glucose monitoring is done by using a special device to obtain a drop of your blood and test it for your blood sugar level. Your doctor or other health care provider will explain the procedure to you. Make sure that you are shown how to do the testing before attempting it on your own. Some items you may use to monitor your blood sugar levels are: Lancet–a disposable, sharp needle-like sticker for pricking the finger to obtain a drop of blood. Lancet device–a springloaded finger sticking device. Test strip–a chemically treated strip to which a drop of blood is applied. Color chart–a chart used to compare against the color on the test strip for blood sugar level. Glucose meter–a device which “reads” the test strip and gives you a digital number value. Your health care provider can advise you where to obtain the self-monitoring equipment in your area. You may want to inquire if any places rent or loan glucose meters, since it is likely you won't be needing it after your baby is born. How often and when should I test? You may need to test your blo Continue reading >>

Blood Sugar Level During Pregnancy, What's Normal?

The form of diabetes which develops during pregnancy is known as gestational diabetes. This condition has become predominant in the recent pastaccording to the 2009 article in American Family Physician. For instance, in the United States alone, it affects around 5% to 9% of all the pregnant women. Pregnancy aggravates the preexisting type 2 and type 1 diabetes. During pregnancy the sugar level may tend to be high sometimes, posing problems to the mother and the infant as well. However, concerning the sugar level during pregnancy, what's normal? Blood sugar control is one of the most essential factors that should be undertaken during pregnancy. When measures are taken to control blood sugar level during pregnancy, it increases chances of a successful pregnancy. The average fasting glucose for pregnant women without any diabetes condition range from 69 to 75 and from 105 to 108 immediately one hour after consuming food. If you have preexisting diabetes or you have developedgestational diabetes, the best way to handle the blood sugar level is to ensure that it remains in between the normal range, not going too low or high. According to the recommendations of the 2007, Fifth International Workshop-Conference on Gestational Diabetes, which established blood glucose goals especially for diabetic women, during the period of pregnancy, the fasting blood sugar should not exceed 96. Blood sugar should remain below 140 just one hour after eating and below 120 two hours later. Why Is It Important to Keep Normal Blood Sugar Level During Pregnancy? The most effective way to prevent complications related to diabetes is to control the amount or the level of blood sugar. This blood sugar control is very significant during pregnancy as it can: Minimize the risk of stillbirth as well as m Continue reading >>

Healthy Blood Sugar Levels For Pregnant Women

Diabetes that begins during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. This condition affects 5 to 9 percent of all pregnancies in the United States, and it is becoming more common, according to a July 2009 article in "American Family Physician." Pregnancy also aggravates preexisting type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Blood sugar levels that are consistently too high during pregnancy can cause problems for both mother and infant. Video of the Day Diabetes during pregnancy increases the likelihood of congenital malformations, or birth defects, in infants, particularly if your blood glucose is poorly controlled for the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. High blood sugars also contribute to excessive fetal growth, which makes labor and delivery difficult and increases the likelihood of infant fractures or nerve injuries. Large infants are more likely to be delivered via cesarean section. Newborns of diabetic mothers are at risk for respiratory distress, jaundice and dangerously low blood calcium or glucose levels. Gestational diabetes is diagnosed when your blood sugars exceed specified levels following two glucose tolerance tests. The first test, usually performed between the 24th and 28th week of your pregnancy, involves drinking 50 g of a sugar solution and checking your blood glucose one hour later. If your level is above 130 mg/dL, your doctor will probably order a second glucose tolerance test that measures your blood glucose when you are fasting and then each hour for 2 to 3 hours after the test. A fasting glucose higher than 95 mg/dL, a one-hour level above 180 mg/dL, a two-hour level over 155 mg/dL or a three-hour measurement over 140 mg/dL is diagnostic of gestational diabetes. For pregnant women without diabetes, average fasting glucose levels vary between 69 mg/dL and 75 mg/ Continue reading >>

Normal Blood Sugars In Pregnancy

I have until now avoided discussing the issue of what normal blood sugars should be in pregnancy because it looked like gynecologists were being more aggressive with blood sugar control during pregnancy then other doctors. Blood sugar control is particularly important in pregnancy because a fetus that is exposed to continually high blood sugars will experience significant changes in the way that its genes express which will affect its blood sugar metabolism for the rest of its life. High blood sugar will also make babies very large, which poses problems when it is time for delivery, some life-threatening. Blood sugars are lower in pregnant women because there is a higher blood volume during pregnancy, but it is starting to look like the targets gynecologists have been recommending, which would have been excellent for non-diabetic women are considerably higher than normal. This was made clear by a new meta-study that analyzed a series of studies of the blood sugars of a wide range of normal pregnant women using Continuous Glucose Monitoring, home testing, and hospital lab results. It makes it clear that the current targets for pregnancy are probably too high. Here is the full text version of the meta-study: Patterns of Glycemia in Normal Pregnancy: Should the current therapeutic targets be challenged? Teri L. Hernandez, et al. Diabetes Care July 2011 vol. 34 no. 7 1660-1668. It concludes that the following appear to be truly normal blood sugars for pregnant women: AVERAGE BLOOD SUGARS IN NORMAL PREGNANT WOMEN Fasting: 70.9 ± 7.8 mg/dl (3.94 mmol/L ± .43) One Hour Post Meal: 108.9 ± 12.9 mg/dl (6.05 ± .72 mmol/L) Two Hours Post Meal: 99.3 ±10.2 mg/dl (5.52 ± .57 mmol/L ) A commentary published in this month's Diabetes Care gives more insight into the importance of t Continue reading >>

Glucose Screening And Glucose Tolerance Tests

What is an abnormal blood glucose level? Different practitioners use different standards for determining whether your level is too high. Some will say that if your one-hour blood sugar level is 140 milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood plasma (mg/dL) or more, you need to have the glucose tolerance test. Others put the cutoff at 130 mg/dL to catch more women who may have gestational diabetes, even though there are likely to be more false positives this way. If your blood glucose level for this screening is higher than 200 mg/dL, most practitioners will consider you diabetic and you won't be required to take the glucose tolerance test. But any score between 140 and 200 means that you'll have to take the three-hour glucose tolerance test for a definite diagnosis. What's the glucose tolerance test like? The exact procedure varies, but typically you're instructed to eat a late meal the night before the test. After that you may be told not to eat or drink anything but sips of water, so you'll want to schedule the test for first thing in the morning. When you arrive for the test, a blood sample is taken to measure your fasting blood glucose level. Then you drink either a more concentrated dose or a larger volume of the glucose solution. At that point, brace yourself for three more arm pricks, as your blood is tested every hour for the next three hours. The technician should alternate arms each time your blood is drawn. You'll definitely want to bring something to distract you, because you have to stay seated in the waiting room when your blood is not being drawn. Also bring something to eat right after the final blood sample is taken, because you'll probably be starving. If one of the readings is abnormal, you may have to take another test later in your pregnancy. Or yo Continue reading >>

Is My Blood Sugar Normal?

“Is my blood sugar normal?” seems like a simple question – but it’s not! The answer can vary dramatically based on your situation. Let’s look at some of the factors to consider. Please remember: you should figure out your personal goals in consultation with your doctor. Normal Blood Sugar in Diabetic vs. Non-Diabetic First, a quick note on how we measure blood sugar. In the USA, blood sugars are measured by weight in milligrams per deciliter, abbreviated as mg/dL. Most everyone else uses millimole per liter, abbreviated mmol. If you are in the USA, look at the big numbers, most everyone else look at the small numbers. In a person without diabetes, blood sugars tend to stay between 70 and 100 mg/dL (3.8 and 5.5 mmol). After a meal, blood sugars can rise up to 120 mg/dL or 6.7 mmol. It will typically fall back into the normal range within two hours. In a person with diabetes, the story is much more complex: Below 70 mg/dL Below 3.8 mmol Low Blood Sugars (Hypoglycemia). When blood sugars drop below this level, you may start feeling hunger, shakiness, or racing of the heart. Your body is starved for sugar (glucose). Read how to detect and treat low blood sugars. 70 mg/dL to 140 mg/dL 3.8 mmol to 7.7 mmol Normal Blood Sugar. In this range, the body is functioning normally. In someone without diabetes, the vast majority of the time is spent in the lower half of this range. 140 mg/dL to 180 mg/dL 7.7 mmol to 10 mmol Elevated Blood Sugars. In this range, the body can function relatively normally. However, extended periods of time in this zone put you at risk for long-term complications. Above 180 mg/dL Abovoe 10 mmol High Blood Sugars. At this range, the kidney is unable to reabsorb all of the glucose in your blood and you begin to spill glucose in your urine. Your bo Continue reading >>

Info Gestational Diabetes

What is Gestational Diabetes? In order to understand gestational diabetes, it is necessary to understand how insulin works. The hormone insulin which comes from the pancreas controls blood sugar. The role of insulin is to get the sugar into the cells. If for any reason the insulin is not working properly or there is not enough of it, the blood sugar will rise and if it rises high enough we call it diabetes. The difference between diabetes and gestational diabetes is that diabetes simply means your blood sugar is too high whereas gestational diabetes is any diabetes that arises or is first identified during pregnancy. During pregnancy the afterbirth or placenta releases hormones that circulate through your body. These hormones block how the insulin works and thus raise the blood sugar the purpose being to provide energy for the baby. Therefore, even in a normal pregnancy the pancreas has to make a lot of extra insulin just to keep the situation controlled. When the pancreas is not making enough insulin to overcome the blockage from these hormones, the blood sugar will rise, and this is called gestational diabetes. What causes it? The main problem is a mother’s pancreas not able to make enough insulin. There is a resistance to the insulin being made caused by the placental hormones but a normal pancreas can usually make enough insulin to overcome this insulin resistance. If the pancreas does not make the extra insulin, the sugar will rise and gestational diabetes occurs. What are the risk factors? The mothers weight can be a factor. If cells are swollen with fat owing to weight problems prior to pregnancy or if during the pregnancy excess weight is gained, it is more difficult for the insulin to get sugar into the cells. You are expected to gain weight in pregnancy, jus Continue reading >>

Blood Sugar Levels Chart For Pregnancy And Diabetes

Your diabetes care team will set individual blood sugar targets, but as a general guide, the NHS recommends: You're probably eating differently because your body needs more energy to help your baby grow and be healthy. And your changing hormones affect how your body makes and uses insulin. This can increase the chances of blood glucose levels going too high or too low. In the later parts of your pregnancy, you may become more insulin resistant, so blood sugar builds up to higher levels. Good diabetes management will help you avoid complications and long-term health problems for you and your baby. How often should you check your blood sugar? Individual advice will vary depending on the type of diabetes and how it is being treated. Common testing times are fasting, pre-meal, 1-hour after a meal and at bedtime. You may also be advised to check your fasting urine ketones daily. Your GP, midwife and other members of your diabetes care team will ask to see you about diabetes at regular appointments. 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 >>

Blood Glucose Management: Checking For Ketones

Part 1 of 5 What Are Ketones? Highlights Ketone bodies are acids made when your body begins using fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. A urine test is the recommended way to test for ketones. However, a blood test can also be used. High levels of ketones are toxic to the body. The condition is called ketoacidosis. Ketone bodies are acids made when your body begins using fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. When there is not enough insulin to get sugar from the blood and into the cells, the body turns to fat for energy. When fat is broken down, ketone bodies are made and can accumulate in the body. High levels of ketones are toxic to the body. The condition is called ketoacidosis. Ketones are most likely to show up when there is not enough insulin in the body. This can happen if people who have type 1 diabetes don’t take insulin or don’t inject enough to meet higher demands, such as during illness or stress, or when a pump gets clogged or unattached. It can also happen in people with type 2 diabetes who are insulin-deficient if they get sick. You may have ketone bodies without having ketoacidosis if your diet is very low in carbohydrates or very low in calories and nutrients. Part 2 of 5 How Do You Test for Ketones? A urine test is the recommended way to test for ketones. However, a blood test can also be used. You can be tested for ketones at your doctor’s office or at home. The urine test is simple to do at home but it is important that you follow the directions carefully. Only certain home meters can test for ketones at home. You may be given something called a clean-catch kit. These kits contain a cleansing solution and sterile wipes. This is for use prior to collecting the urine sample. Your healthcare provider may also give you a special diet to follo Continue reading >>

Managing Diabetes During Pregnancy

Almost two million women of reproductive age have diabetes, and these numbers continue to rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is extremely important for women with diabetes to achieve normal blood glucose levels before they become pregnant, because if women have poorly controlled diabetes going into a pregnancy, they are at much higher risk for serious fetal complications. This improved control can be accomplished with education and medical management. Women with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes are also at higher risk for: Large birth weight babies, resulting in more Cesarean deliveries and increased complications during delivery Premature births or fetal death Pre-eclampsia: a dangerous surge in blood pressure associated with protein in the urine Diabetic retinopathy: damage to the retina caused by high glucose levels Diabetic kidney disease Severe hypoglycemia: episodes of low blood glucose levels that can result in confusion or unconsciousness Ensuring a healthy pregnancy The good news is that women with uncomplicated diabetes who keep their blood glucose levels in a normal range before and during pregnancy have about the same chance of having a successful pregnancy as women without diabetes. The Joslin-Beth Israel Deaconess Pregnancy Program recommends the following blood glucose goals and medical assessments before pregnancy: Fasting and pre-meal blood glucose: 80-110 mg/dl Blood glucose one hour after meal: 100-155 mg/dl A1C, a blood test that measures average blood glucose over two to three months: less than 7 percent and as close to 6% as possible without hypoglycemia Review of diabetes and obstetrical history Eye evaluations to screen for and discuss risks of diabetic retinopathy Renal, thyroid, gynecological and sometimes c Continue reading >>

* What Is A Normal Blood Sugar?

Normal blood sugars after a high carbohydrate breakfast eaten at 7:30 AM. The blue line is the average for the group. The brown lines show the range within which most readings fell (2 standard deviations). Bottom lines show Insulin and C-peptide levels at the same time. Click HERE if you don't see the graph. Graph is a screen shot from Dr. Christiansen's presentation cited below. The term "blood sugar" refers to the concentration of glucose, a simple, sugar, that is found in a set volume of blood. In the U.S. it is measured in milligrams per deciliter, abbreviated as mg/dl. In most of the rest of the world it is measured in millimoles per liter, abbreviated as mmol/L. The concentration of glucose in our blood changes continually throughout the day. It can even vary significantly from minute to minute. When you eat, it can rise dramatically. When you exercise it will often drop. The blood sugar measures that doctors are most interested in is the A1c, discussed below. When you are given a routine blood test doctors usually order a fasting glucose test. The most informative blood sugar reading is the post-meal blood sugar measured one and two hours after eating. Doctors rarely test this important blood sugar measurement as it is time consuming and hence expensive. Rarely doctors will order a Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, which tests your response to a huge dose of pure glucose, which hits your blood stream within minutes and produces results quite different from the blood sugars you will experience after each meal. Below you will find the normal readings for these various tests. Normal Fasting Blood Sugar Fasting blood sugar is usually measured first thing in the morning before you have eaten any food. A truly normal fasting blood sugar (which is also the blood sugar a norm Continue reading >>