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From other websitesContent disclaimerContent on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Oral glucose tolerance test - pregnancy; OGTT - pregnancy; Glucose challenge test - pregnancy; Gestational diabetes - glucose screening A glucose screening test is a routine test during pregnancy that checks a pregnant woman's blood glucose (sugar) level. Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (diabetes) that starts or is found during pregnancy. TWO-STEP TESTING During the first step, you will have a glucose screening test: 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:
ONE-STEP TESTING You need to go to the lab one time for a 2-hour glucose tolerance test. For this test:
How to Prepare for the TestFor either the two-step test or one-step test, eat your normal food in the days before your test. Ask your health care provider if any of the medicines you take can affect your test results. How the Test will Feel
Most women do not have side effects from the glucose tolerance test. Drinking the glucose solution is similar to drinking a very sweet soda. Some women may feel nauseated, sweaty, or lightheaded after they drink the glucose solution. Serious side effects from this test are very uncommon. Why the Test is PerformedThis test checks for gestational diabetes. Most pregnant women have a glucose screening test between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. The test may be done earlier if you have a high glucose level in your urine during your routine prenatal visits, or if you have a high risk for diabetes. Women who have a low risk for diabetes may not have the screening test. To be low-risk, all of these statements must be true:
Normal ResultsTWO-STEP TESTING Most of the time, a normal result for the glucose screening test is a blood sugar that is equal to or less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) 1 hour after drinking the glucose solution. A normal result means you do not have gestational diabetes. Note: mg/dL means milligrams per deciliter and mmol/L means millimoles per liter. These are two ways to indicate how much glucose is in the blood. If your blood glucose is higher than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L), the next step is the oral glucose tolerance test. This test will show if you have gestational diabetes. Most women (about 2 out of 3) who take this test do not have gestational diabetes. ONE-STEP TESTING If your glucose level is lower than the abnormal results described below, you do not have gestational diabetes. What Abnormal Results MeanTWO-STEP TESTING Abnormal blood values for a 3-hour 100-gram oral glucose tolerance test are:
ONE-STEP TESTING Abnormal blood values for a 2-hour 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test are:
If only one of your blood glucose results in the oral glucose tolerance test is higher than normal, your provider may simply suggest you change some of the foods you eat. Then, your provider may test you again after you have changed your diet. If more than one of your blood glucose results is higher than normal, you have gestational diabetes. RisksYou may have some of the symptoms listed above under the heading titled "How the Test will Feel." There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others. Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:
ReferencesAmerican Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 2. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: standards of medical care in diabetes-2022. Diabetes Care. 2022;45(Suppl 1):S17-S38. PMID: 34964875 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34964875/. Committee on Practice Bulletins--Obstetrics. Practice Bulletin No. 190: Gestational diabetes mellitus. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;131(2):e49-e64. PMID: 29370047 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29370047/. Landon MB, Catalano PM, Gabbe SG. Diabetes mellitus complicating pregnancy. In: Landon MB, Galan HL, Jauniaux ERM, et al, eds. Gabbe's Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 45. Metzger BE. Diabetes mellitus and pregnancy. In: Jameson JL, De Groot LJ, de Kretser DM, et al, eds. Endocrinology: Adult and Pediatric. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 45. Moore TR, Hauguel-De Mouzon S, Catalono P. Diabetes in pregnancy. In: Resnik R, Lockwood CJ, Moore TR, Greene MF, Copel JA, Silver RM, eds. Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 59. Version InfoLast reviewed on: 4/19/2022 Reviewed by: John D. Jacobson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. When should a pregnant woman be tested for gestational diabetes?If you're at average risk of gestational diabetes, you'll likely be screened during your second trimester — between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you're at high risk of gestational diabetes, your health care provider may recommend doing the screening as early as your first prenatal visit.
What are the warning signs of gestational diabetes?Warning Signs of Gestational Diabetes. Sugar in the urine.. Unusual thirst.. Frequent urination.. Fatigue.. Nausea.. Blurred vision.. Vaginal, bladder and skin infections.. How late can you do gestational diabetes test?The test is administered between the 26-28 week mark during the pregnancy and is done to screen for gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a condition when women without diabetes develop high blood sugar levels while they are pregnant.
Can you test for gestational diabetes at 12 weeks?A blood test conducted as early as the 10th week of pregnancy may help identify women at risk for gestational diabetes, a pregnancy-related condition that poses potentially serious health risks for mothers and infants, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.
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