Glucose Tolerance

Somewhere between the 24^th and 28^th week of your pregnancy, your obstetrician is going to have you take a glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes. There isn’t much that needs to be done to prepare for the test, however, you will have to fast for 8-12 hours before the test is administered. Many women schedule the glucose tolerance test first thing in the morning to prevent having to fast during the day. You will not have to alter any of your eating habits during the weeks leading up to the test.

On the day of the test, you will have your blood drawn. This will give the physician a baseline reading. Then you will have 5 minutes to consume a glucose solution, which will contain about 95 grams of sugar. Your blood will be drawn 2 hours after you drink the solution to measure your body’s reaction to the glucose. If your blood sugar levels are elevated you will have to repeat the test with a blood draw at one, two and three hour intervals.

If you are at risk of, or diagnosed with gestational diabetes you will have to carefully monitor your glucose levels and your diet throughout the rest of your pregnancy.

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