At 24-28 weeks of pregnancy your provider will screen you for gestational diabetes. This is a form of diabetes that may develop during pregnancy, and generally resolves following delivery.
One-Hour Glucose Test
For your one-hour glucose tolerance test no fasting is required, but we do warn you that anything you eat prior to the test, will show up in the results. Thus, we advise eating a healthy, low-sugar meal if you choose to eat prior to your test.
When you arrive to the office for your test, you will consume a beverage containing 50 grams of sugar. You should be aware that the glucose solution is VERY sweet, and many women will feel nauseous after drinking it. After 60 minutes has lapsed, following consumption of the glucose solution, you blood will be drawn. We do ask you remain IN the office for the duration of this test, in the event you begin to feel symptoms of hypoglycemia such as dizziness, weakness, sweating, or hunger at any time during your test.
What do my results mean?
If your blood glucose levels measured greater than 135, a 3-hour glucose tolerance test will be necessary, in order to rule out the diagnosis of gestational diabetes.
3-hour tolerance testing DOES require fasting for at least 6 hours prior to testing, and is recommended to be completed as soon as possible, following an elevated 1-hour result.