How to Diagnose Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a very serious condition. It affects many women each year during their pregnancy. The condition can cause severe complications during the pregnancy to both baby and mother. Most babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are very big in size.
- Make an appointment with your doctor or health care provider. Discuss your concerns about gestational diabetes. If you have been experiencing strange symptoms also tell your provider about them.
- Have your doctor schedule a glucose screening. This test usually last for one hour and will consist of you drinking a sweet drink which contains 50 grams of glucose. The lab technician will draw your blood in one hour and test it.
- Follow up with your doctor to receive your test results. If your blood sugar is higher than 140 you will be required to take a 3-hour diagnostic test. Do not worry about the testing, there is no pain involved just a lot of drinking unpleasant drinks.
- The 3-hour GTT test requires the technician to take a fasting blood sugar and then you will drink two sugary drinks. You will need to prepare your body to drink these concentrated drinks. If two out of the three test come back high, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
- Work with your doctor or nutritionist to develop a healthy diet for you while pregnant. If your blood glucose levels are extremely high you may be required to take insulin shot.