1 Hour Pregnancy Glucose Test

Alternatives To The Glucose Test During Pregnancy

Glucose tests are considered the gold standard for diagnosing gestational diabetes, and doctors strongly recommend that all women get the initial screening. However, we recognize that in some circumstances, including women whove had bariatric surgery, performing these tests may not be possible, says Greves.

Klein acknowledges that people may have trouble tolerating the highly concentrated drink. She says that, instead, they may be able to use a glucometer at home to regularly self-monitor their levels and assess if theres any blood glucose dysregulation. She adds that some doctors will allow alternatives to the Glucola beverage if its something equivalent to 50 or 100 grams of glucose. Another form of simple sugar, such as jelly beans or fruit juice may be acceptable, she says. Of course, protocols vary by practice, and Klein and Greves stress that youll want to discuss options with your doctor. They may want you to stick with the tried-and-true oral glucose tolerance test.

The initial glucose test during pregnancy is par for the course for moms-to-be. And those that need to carve out the time for the three-hour glucose tolerance test will come to realize that some minor unpleasantness is no big thing if it means keeping you and your little one on the path to a healthy delivery. Well drink to that.

About the experts:

Stephanie Klein, RD, LDN, CDCES, is a registered dietitian and the clinical director of diabetes prevention and reversal at Simplex Health.

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 for 8 to 14 hours before your test. You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose, 100 grams . 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 for 8 to 14 hours before your test. You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose . 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 > >

Final Thoughts On Glucose Screening

The glucose test in pregnancy is an easy way to check your bodys ability to tolerate sugar.

Theres no way to cheat this test, and you should prepare for it by eating a well-balanced diet as soon as you find out youre pregnant.

If you fail the test, make sure that you follow up very closely with your doctor to try and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Now I want to hear from you.

Did you fail your glucose test?

What did you do to prepare for it?

Also Check: Reversing Type 2 Diabetes With Ketogenic Diet

Is Gestational Diabetes My Fault

IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!

This is due to the hormones released from the placenta. Those who are not diabetic are able to increase insulin production sufficiently enough. Those who cannot increase insulin production enough, or cannot use the insulin that is there effectively enough, are diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Do I Really Need To Take The Three Hour Test

I see a lot of people questioning if they really need to take the three hour test when they only failed by a few points.

Ive even been a bit surprised to see people ask if they even need to be tested for Gestational Diabetes to begin with.

Yes if you fail, you need to make sure you dont have it. There are some alternatives , but if theres any chance that you might have Gestational Diabetes you NEED to know.

Gestational Diabetes while it can be managed quite well is a serious pregnancy complication, especially if left untreated. While most if not all of the complications that can come with it can be avoided with proper treatment, its just irresponsible to not want to find out.

The screening is important as well. Theres a large percentage of women who will get Gestational Diabetes who have ZERO risk factors. Even if you exercise every day and eat healthy, you may still have it. So it is important that you are tested.

Of course, no one can make you do anything. But be aware that many practices will not continue to see a patient who refuses the test.

Read Also: How Does Insulin Work In Type 1 Diabetes

How Can I Prepare For The Three Hour Test

Honestly, I think the best thing you can do is just eat your normal diet. You shouldnt try and trick the test because if you have Gestational Diabetes, then you NEED to know so you can treat is as effectively as possible.

Some medical providers will recommend carb loading in the days leading up to the test, but for the most part, the recommendation is to just eat normally and then fast for 10-12 hours before you actually take the test.

You need to take the test as early in the morning as you can so you wont have to fast all day. Plus, if you are taking it at a lab , many of them require you start the test at 8:00 AM so you are done before the employees need to take a lunch break.

When I failed the one-hour test, I tried to limit sugar and carbs substantially and part of me wonders if that affected my results. Its easy to read into things, and I have heard that women who eat a lower-carb diet have a higher rate of a false positive. I dont know how much truth there is to that, though.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests

The purpose of the oral glucose tolerance test is to measure the bodys ability to use a type of sugar, called glucose. Glucose is the bodys 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, called gestational diabetes.

Also Check: Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible With Diet And Exercise

What To Eat 1 Hour Before A Glucose Test During Pregnancy

When your medical practitioner has recommended that you take a glucose tolerance test during your pregnancy, usually around your fifth month of pregnancy, you will be asked to watch your diet before taking the test. This will be in one of two approaches. One is when you do not fast before the test, and the other is when fasting before the test is required.

Not Fasting Before the Test

Your glucose levels are routinely checked at every prenatal visit, using a simple stick test in your urine. When you are asked to give a urine sample you may notice that the nurse or medical practitioner takes a special small strip and dips it into your urine sample. The strip will turn a specific color if sugar or protein is found. Occasional small amounts of protein or glucose in your urine during your pregnancy is normal.

A pregnant mother free of gestational diabetes will rarely have a glucose level higher than 100mg/dLin the morning before breakfast or 2 hours after a meal.

Around the fifth month you may be asked to take a GCT to check for gestational diabetes and a follow-up GTT if needed.

If your GCT is abnormal you will be asked to do a GTT to determine if you have gestational diabetes. Twenty percent of the women who take a glucose challenge test will be abnormal but most of them will NOT have gestational diabetes.

What is this test for?

If this happens the medical practitioner may order a GTT to more accurately see how the womans body is responding to sugar.

GLUCOSE SCREENING

Gain The Right Amount Of Weight

Gaining too much or too quickly during pregnancy can increase the chances for GD, so talk to your doctor about what you should be seeing on the scale. In general, you should aim to gain 25 to 35 pounds if your pre-pregnancy body mass index was in the normal range, 15 to 25 pounds if you were overweight before becoming pregnant, and 11 to 20 pounds if you were obese before coming pregnant.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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What Is The 1

The 1-hour glucose challenge test or GCT, measures the effect of a glucose solution on blood glucose levels. The GCT does not necessarily diagnose diabetes but it screens women who may be at risk and who may need a 3-hour glucose tolerance test or GTT. A blood sample is taken 1-hour after ingesting a glucose solution. The glucose solution, which is typically flavored, contains 50 – 100 grams of glucose .

ACOG supports the “2-step” approach to diagnosing diabetes in pregnancy

Note: Diagnosis of GDM is based on 2 abnormal values on the 3-hour OGTTACOG recommends that currently there is insufficient evidence to diagnose GDM based on only one abnormal valuePatients with only one elevated value may require additional surveillance

Typically, the 1-hour glucose tolerance test is given first with the 3-hour glucose tolerance test reserved for women who fail the initial test.

This screening test is done to identify who may be at risk of diabetes and normally given in the 28th week of pregnancy. It does not usually diagnose diabetes but is performed to identify those who require additional testing for gestational diabetes.

• Fasting: 95 mg/dL
• 2-hours: 155 mg/dL
• 3-hours: 140 mg/dL

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Read Also: Causes Of Hypoglycemia In Diabetics

Understanding Your Glucose Tolerance Test Results

So what constitutes a passing grade? The numbers are a bit different for this test. The Mayo Clinic breaks down the benchmark glucose levels doctors use to diagnose gestational diabetes after the glucose tolerance test:

• Fasting blood glucose level should be lower than 95 mg/dL
• One-hour blood test glucose level should be lower than 180 mg/dL
• Two-hour blood test glucose level should be lower than 155 mg/dL
• Three-hour blood test glucose level should be lower than 140 mg/dL

If one of the four results is higher than expected, your doctor may recommend taking the test again in a few weeks. If two or more return high, youll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes, says the Mayo Clinic.

So what happens if the glucose tolerance test determines you have gestational diabetes? Dont worry youll likely meet with a nutritionist help guide you through your pregnancy with a balanced diet, and will closely monitor the ratio of carbohydrates to protein to fats and sugars you are consuming, says Pope. Youll also have to check your blood glucose levels with a home glucometer four times a day , explains Greves. If diet alone doesnt help rein in your blood glucose numbers, insulin may be necessary, says Klein, who emphasizes the medications safety and efficacy.

How Common Is It To Fail The 1 Hour Glucose Challenge Test

In general, anywhere from 15-25% of women will fail the glucose challenge test. But keep in mind that failing the 1-hour test does not give you the diagnosis of gestational diabetes.

According to the CDC, the prevalence of gestational diabetes is about 2-10%.

But failing the test should raise some red flags that you need to pay attention to your diet.

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What Does The Blood Glucose Test Involve

All pregnant women are offered this screening test between 24-28 weeks gestation. When other risk factors are present, such as obesity, the test may be offered earlier and then repeated if initially normal. The screening test for GD is called a glucose challenge, which aims to see how your body is handling sugars. The measurement is taken 1 hour after you consume a glucose drink. This test can be conducted at any time of day as it is not a fasting test. If your blood sugar is normal after the challenge, you will not require any more testing. If it is high, you will have a second test. This test is done in the morning while you are fasting and will require you not to eat prior to the test. You will have your glucose tested before consuming a glucose drink and then tested again 1 and 2 hours later. If your glucose is higher than specific cut-off values, it means you have GD. See the table for more specific information.

Tips For Passing A Glucose Tolerance Test During Pregnancy

Frankly, dont have diabetes.

I know, that sounds heartless. But if you have diabetes, you NEED it to be found and be the safest for you and your baby.

However, things I recommend:

• Make sure youre eating a well-balanced diet the few days before the test. Have a mix of carbs and protein at each meal. Personally, Id stay away from sugar-filled snacks and drinks those few days.
• You can always take a walk during the test that can help bring blood sugar down, but I dont think it will adjust it much either way.

It is SO important you take the test. Your baby is at risk for stillbirth if you have diabetes and it is not taken care of.

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What Does The Glucose Tolerance Test Mean For Me After Baby

Most often all the issues with blood sugar go away after the baby is born.

Many hospitals will check your blood sugar the next day or so to see how it is doing, but likely you will be able to eat whatever you want.

However, it does show that you are an increased risk of diabetes later in life, so consider making sure that you diet balances carbs and proteins, and make sure youre exercising to mitigate that risk.

The reality is that much of this is genetic and we cant change that so changing what you can change is best.

So, hopefully that gave you some ideas about this test. If youre interested in more information about your pregnancy and how to manage it successfully Id love to help you out in The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. Youre at the PERFECT SPOT to take it. Its offered on demand, and only takes a few hours.

And, if youre not quite sure youre ready for that full thing, check out my free prenatal class. Its your first step toward becoming your own birth boss.

• About the Author

Symptoms Of Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes does not usually cause any symptoms.

Most cases are only discovered when your blood sugar levels are tested during screening for gestational diabetes.

Some women may develop symptoms if their blood sugar levels gets too high , such as:

• needing to pee more often than usual
• a dry mouth
• tiredness

But some of these symptoms are common during pregnancy and are not necessarily a sign of gestational diabetes. Speak to your midwife or doctor if you’re worried about any symptoms you’re experiencing.

Also Check: What Effects Does Diabetes Have On The Body

Why The Test Is Performed

This 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:

• You have never had a test that showed your blood glucose was higher than normal.
• Your ethnic group has a low risk for diabetes.
• You do not have any first-degree relatives with diabetes.
• You are younger than 25 years old and have a normal weight.
• You have not had any bad outcomes during an earlier pregnancy.