Can i eat before my glucose test

For the gram oral glucose tolerance test, you need to be fasting, and you have to have your blood sugar level taken three times. The first blood test will look at your fasting glucose, then you will get two more blood tests done.

Once after an hour, and again after 2 hours. The 1-hour test is just a screening test! If you fail the 1 hour gram test, you will then need to take a 3 hour gram glucose tolerance test. This test is much more involved and will be scheduled in about 1 week after your screening glucose challenge test. There is no way to cheat the test. If you fail the 3-hour glucose test, you have impaired glucose tolerance and you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

This is a very serious condition that requires very close monitoring of your blood sugar levels every single day. You will meet with a nutritionist to learn how to improve your diet, and you will have to check your finger stick blood glucose 4 times a day for the remainder of the pregnancy.

Unfortunately, gestational diabetes is often silent. This means that you may not see warning signs or symptoms of the disease. That is why we screen every single pregnant woman, regardless of risk factors. A high amount of weight gain during pregnancy may be one of the only signs you can see. The oral glucose test will be very sweet and have a fruity flavor.

It usually comes in orange or fruit punch flavors. You should eat your normal typical breakfast. This is so that we can get a very accurate representation of how your body handles sugar at this point in your pregnancy, even after your normal breakfast.

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Is it Safe While Pregnant. Is Sex Safe During Pregnancy? Pregnancy Health and Wellness. Things such as pregnancy cravings , knowing how much to eat for you and your growing baby, getting enough of all the right nutrients , being safe while exercising , feeling the baby move, getting the house ready for a baby, choosing a baby name, and more all add to the excitement and stress.

Seriously — the list could go on and on! Another thing to add to the list: your pregnancy glucose test. Most women — especially first time moms — get a little nervous about it. A pregnancy glucose test, also known as a gestational oral glucose tolerance test, screens for potential gestational diabetes. It is usually performed between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy in women who have not been diagnosed with diabetes before. There are two different strategies for testing.

A one-step approach and a two-step approach. Once you arrive, they will draw blood to test your fasting glucose level. You will then have your blood drawn at 1 hour and 2 hours after drinking the glucose. If any of the three blood glucose level draws are higher than normal, a diagnosis of gestational diabetes can be made.

In the 2-step strategy you do not need to fast prior to the test. Your doctor will give you a sugary drink containing 50 grams of glucose for you to drink. After drinking the glucose, you will need to have your blood drawn 1 hour later to test for your blood glucose levels.

If your levels do not come back normal, you will be asked to come back for additional testing. Babies whose mothers have gestational diabetes have a greater chance of being bigger and therefore have a higher incidence of Cesarean Section or shoulder dystocia at birth. Please check out www. The good news is that in this day and age virtually all potential risks associated with gestational diabetes can be eliminated with scrupulous control of blood sugar levels.

Treatment centers around control of blood sugar levels equal to those of pregnant women who do not have gestational diabetes. You may have to watch your diet more, rest more, especially during the third trimester. You may need to exercise daily. Some mothers have to test their blood sugar levels daily by pricking their finger and monitoring with a handheld machine and possible insulin injections. Unlike the past, today a mother with gestational diabetes has almost as good a chance of coming through her pregnancy and birth as any other mother and her baby.

Sticking to the treatment is important. If you have higher than normal levels of glucose in your urine or blood you need to take care of yourself for your own safety and the sake of your unborn child. Some of the links on Pregged lead to sites we are affiliated with, such as Amazon, and we may earn revenue from them.

The material on this website is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or in place of therapy or medical care.

Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. About Contact. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram. Search for: Search. Not Fasting Before the Test Your glucose levels are routinely checked at every prenatal visit, using a simple stick test in your urine.

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