Approximately 3% - 5% (3 - 5 in 100) of pregnant women experience gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. If a diabetes screening test has returned positive, then the more formal glucose tolerance test will be administered.
The glucose tolerance test begins when the doctor asks you to eat normally for three days prior to the test. After fasting overnight (be sure you don't eat anything for breakfast), your doctor will administer another glucose screening test to establish a baseline for the glucose tolerance test.
You will then be given a drink consisting of five ounces of sugary water containing a specified amount of glucose. Your blood sugar is measured thirty minutes later, then hourly for the next five hours.
A recent variation of the test involves eating eighteen jelly beans instead of drink the sugar water provided. Instead of the nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating and profuse sweating which seem to be common side-effects of the sugar water, the worst symptom you may feel is a mild headache.
The test is designed for all mothers who might be at risk of gestational diabetes. Typical risk factors include:
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Gestational diabetes, sometimes called hyperglycemia, is present in 3% - 5% of all pregnancies. Your glucose levels rise during the course of your pregnancy, and so a normal reading during week twenty four does not guarantee a normal result during week twenty eight. Symptoms of gestational diabetes include extreme hunger or fatigue, which often passes unnoticed by most pregnant women. About 10% (1 in 10) pregnant who have gestational diabetes will develop insulin dependent diabetes during pregnancy.
There are few, if any, risks associated with this test.
The glucose tolerance test is performed between week twenty four and week twenty eight of your pregnancy.
The reported blood sugar level will either be considered normal or high.
If the blood sugar level is high your doctor will prescribe a special diet for the remainder of your pregnancy. You will be asked to submit to regular urine and blood tests to monitor your blood sugar levels. In some cases insulin may need to be administered to control blood sugar levels.
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