Pregnancy involves lots of different tests which are done in different trimesters in order to make sure that you deliver a healthy baby. Please note that these tests are apart from the routine ultrasounds.
Your doctor may suggest you to take a glucose test when you complete the twenty fourth or twenty eight week of your pregnancy. This test is important in order to determine how well your body is able to process sugar. This helps in determining the chances of getting gestational diabetes or pregnancy induced diabetes.
A woman has high chances of getting diabetes or
blood pressure during pregnancy. This can be avoided when the proper tests are done. Both of these conditions can complicate the pregnancy process and may also harm your baby.
When you undergo a pregnancy glucose test, your doctor may ask you to drink a glucose solution which may taste like a soft-drink or a cola. After an hour, the doctor will draw blood and check how well your body has processed the sugar. If your body has not managed to process the sugar well, then the doctor may ask you to come back for a re-test after three hours.
If the blood sugar level is between 140 mg/dL in the one-hour sugar test and 200 mg/dL of blood plasma, then you need to get a follow-up test done. If the sugar level is high (more than 200 mg/dL is), then it indicates that you have gestational diabetes. In such a scenario, you do not have to take the second test.
Before undergoing the glucose tolerance test, make sure you eat at least 150 g of carbohydrates each day starting three days before the test. The test has to be done on an empty stomach, so make sure you schedule it in the morning. Avoid eating, drinking, exercising, or smoking on the morning of the test as they tend to interfere with the results.
Remember, gestational diabetes can complicate the pregnancy and also affect your baby so it is important to prevent it and take necessary action before it is too late. Women who are overweight or have a family history of diabetes are more prone to this disease. Hence, it is important to undergo this test in order to make sure that everything is perfect and you do not have to worry about anything. A little care and precaution will help you have a safe delivery and a healthy baby.
Submitted by P T on May 4, 2010 at 12:48
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