I’m pregnant and my doctor says it’s time to do my GT test. What do I do now?
The GT test is a glucose tolerance test done between 24 – 28 weeks of pregnancy. It is designed to find women who may possibly have gestational diabetes, a health condition that 2 – 5 percent of pregnant women can experience. Gestational diabetes can occur when the mother’s body doesn’t produce enough insulin. Insulin is used to break down the sugar in the blood.
Why is controlling this not only necessary but extremely important? – Great question. High blood levels in the mother’s body are passed through the placenta to the little one growing inside. Other than the high blood sugar possibly causing the baby to grow larger in the womb a few reasons you want to control your blood sugar are:
– Baby will have an increased risk of developing diabetes later in life.
– More of a possibility of jaundice after birth.
– Risk of being born with a heart defect, or other congenital problems.
– Because of the mother’s high blood sugar being passed to the baby, the baby’s pancreas begins to make extra insulin. This can continue shortly after birth causing the baby to have low blood sugar.
– In rare occasions it can cause stillbirth or death in a newborn.
Controlling your blood sugars if positive for gestational diabetes can help prevent all the things I’ve mentioned.
The one-hour glucose tolerance test.
You will be given a sugar solution, which contains 50 grams of glucose and tastes in my opinion like a flat soda. They normally come in orange, cola, or lime flavor (no, you do not get to choose!). This has to be finished within 5 minutes. A majority of the time it is already chilled or they offer ice. Some places will send it home for you to drink an hour before your appointment, others will make you drink it there and wait for an hour. Be sure to bring something to do in this case. After an hour has passed they take blood to check your blood sugar level. If you do fail the one-hour test this only means that you will then have to go back for a three-hour glucose tolerance test. Only one third of the women who test positive actually have gestational diabetes.
The three-hour glucose tolerance test.
You will be instructed to fast the morning before the test. Other than that it is much like the one-hour test, except much longer. When you arrive they will take the first tube of blood. You will then be given the sugar solution, which again has to be finished within 5 minutes. After that your blood will be drawn three more times, once after each hour.
Keep in mind, some places will allow you to leave the premises between each blood drawing. However, other places will make you sit there the entire time! Either way, you want to be prepared. If you can leave and live close – problem solved. If you don’t live close enough to go home between drawings than make a day of it with your family. Plan places you can go and just have fun. If you have to stay, here is a perfect time for you to pick up that new book you have wanted to read and just haven’t had the time to do so. Crocheting or knitting a project? Bring it along. Although, you may find yourself chatting with the other moms and moms-to-be to get much of anything done.
Good luck and Congratulations on your little one!
