The Truth Behind Gestational Diabetes

Hearing that you have gestational diabetes can be a frightening experience for any pregnant woman. Approximately 3-5% of all pregnant women in the United States will develop this condition, but it is not always a major pregnancy complication. Here is what to expect from the tests you will have to take, to affects on you and the baby, and treatment options.

The test for this is usually performed between 24 and 28 weeks, but may be performed earlier if the doctor believes you are at a risk for developing it. The test is usually performed by an oral glucose tolerance test. During the test, the you will drink a sweetened drink that contains 50 mg of glucose. After an hour, the person performing the test will take a blood sample and measure how well the glucose was processed by your body. If the blood glucose level is greater than 130 mg/dL, the doctor will have you come back for a second test. For that test, you will have to fast before the test for at least eight hours. You will be given an even more concentrated drink with glucose, and they will do a blood test every three hours to see how your body metabolizes higher amounts of glucose. If two out of the four tests they will do come back abnormal, you are considered to have gestational diabetes.