Gestational Diabetes Test
Gestational Diabetes is developed in women during pregnancy. In this, women without prior diabetes exhibits high glucose level. About 3 to7 % women are affected by Gestational Diabetes. Hormones produced during pregnancy inhibit the action of insulin due to which glucose is not converted into energy source and glucose level in blood increases.
Gestational Diabetes has not immediate effect on health. However if it remained undiagnosed or untreated, it will put mother and baby at high risk. Women with Gestational Diabetes do not have any symptoms. Gestational Diabetes Test is the only way to find out whether women have Gestational Diabetes or not. Gestational Diabetes Test is taken during 24-28 week of pregnancy.
Following are Gestational Diabetes Tests that are performed to find out whether women have Gestational Diabetes or not.
Gestational Diabetes Glucose Test
Gestational Diabetes Glucose Test is of two types. Fasting glucose test and random glucose test. For fasting glucose test, woman is asked not to eat or drink anything except water for at least 10 to 14 hour. Then your blood sample test is taken to measure fasting glucose level in blood. In random glucose test, blood sample test is taken at any time of the day.
Screening Glucose Test
Most pregnant are considered for Screening Glucose Test. In this test, you have to drink 50 grams of glucose. After 1 hour, practitioner will take your blood sample test to measure glucose level in your blood. If results are below 140 mg/dl then it is confirmed that woman do not have Gestational Diabetes. If results are above 200 mg/dl then woman is diabetic. If results are in between 140 to 200 mg/dl then another test called 3 hour glucose tolerance test needs to perform to confirm Gestational Diabetes.
3 Hour Glucose Tolerance Test
In 3 hour glucose test, woman under consideration has to follow some instructions. Eat balanced diet (which contains 150 grams of carbohydrates) for 3 day before test. Before test, do not eat or drink or drink anything except water for at least for 10 to 14 hours.
When you arrive, practitioner will take your blood sample test to measure fasting glucose level. Then you will ask to drink 100 grams of glucose. Then he again takes your 3 blood sample test after one hour, two hour and 3 hour.
| Interval | Abnormal Reading |
| Fasting | 95 mg/dl or higher |
| After 1 hour | 180 mg/dl or higher |
| After 2 hour | 155 mg/dl or higher |
| After 3 hour | 140 mg/dl or higher |
If two or more results are above normal then Gestational Diabetes is confirmed. Then that woman has to follow balanced diet plan prepared by doctor and do regular exercise. Some time insulin injections are needed to keep glucose level within normal range.