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A glucose load test is a test done at the time of diagnosis of diabetes. A high level of glucose in the blood of a pregnant woman may have a negative effect not only on the body of the future mother, but also on the developing fetus.
Pregnancy Glucose Load Test
This is because glucose crosses the placental barrier and stimulates the baby’s pancreas to overproduce insulin. In some respects, insulin acts like growth hormone – which is why babies born to mothers with diabetes often have a high birth weight (called fetal macrosomia).
The risk of fetal immaturity and obstetric complications also increases – more often there is a need to terminate pregnancy with caesarean section, perinatal injuries, polyhydramnios, and preeclampsia. At birth, babies of mothers with diabetes often have low Apgar scores. They also have an increased risk of neural tube defects and heart defects. This happens if glucose disturbances in a pregnant woman are not treated properly.
When is the first glucose load test done in pregnancy?
During pregnancy, a number of screening tests are performed to detect previously undiagnosed glucose metabolism disorders, including diabetes. If you are pregnant, your gynecologist will order a glucose load test during your first visit.
Depending on the result of this test, the doctor may ask you to repeat it (with blood glucose levels above 126 mg / dl) or refer you to another test – oral glucose loading test of 75 g (if blood glucose levels are in the 95-125 mg / dl range). But this is not the end. Even if your fasting blood glucose is less than 95 mg / dL (i.e. your blood glucose is normal), your doctor will order it on 24-28. OGTT test (oral glucose loading test of 75 g).
Glucose 75g – for the preparation of oral solutions, it is also available in a lemon flavor version. Check on Medonet Market.
What is a pregnancy glucose test?
The oral glucose load test (OGTT) is a test that measures how well the body metabolizes this sugar. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, which enables the cells in the body to use glucose as fuel. If the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, the blood glucose level rises.
OGTT is based on measuring the glucose level one hour after drinking a glass of water in which 75 g of glucose has been dissolved. The correct glucose level one hour after taking this solution is less than 140 mg / dl. If your result is between 140–180 mg / dL, you must perform the 75 g glucose loading test.
If the result of the latter test is normal, the 32 g glucose loading test should be repeated at 75 weeks of pregnancy, if not – your doctor will refer you to a diabetes clinic. There you will get all the necessary information on the use of a proper diet and medications.
How do I prepare for a glucose load test?
You do not need to fasten before the 75 g glucose load test. You can visit the doctor or the laboratory where the blood will be collected at any time (the time of the last meal also does not matter). Usually, however, OGTT is done in the morning along with other tests.
Before that, you need to buy 75 g of glucose from the pharmacy (the pharmacist will measure out the right amount). After arriving at the office or clinic, you need to dissolve it in 150 ml of water (about 2/3 glass). In private clinics or clinics, a ready-made solution is usually obtained on site. The drink prepared in this way should be drunk quickly.
As you will have to wait for at least 1 hour after consuming the glucose drink, make sure you do not have any other appointments scheduled during this time. You should also take something to read or a music player with you so that waiting times pass faster. After drinking the glucose solution, nausea and dizziness may appear – that’s why it is worth going with your partner or friend for such a test.
Eat rationally for the 3 days preceding the OGTT test. It is advisable to take 3 meals a day. In between, you can have small snacks. The most important thing is that your diet should contain about 150-200 g of carbohydrates. You will find them, among others in: fruit, bread, cereals, pasta, rice, legumes.
Remember that for the results of the glucose load test to be reliable, you should be healthy during the test (even a cold can distort the OGTT result).
What does a glucose load test look like?
The test consists in double-checking the level of glucose in the venous blood. The first measurement takes place before you drink the glucose solution. After that, you will be asked to drink a sweet drink containing glucose. It’s best to do it as soon as possible. One hour after you have taken glucose orally, the nurse will take a second blood sample from you to measure your blood sugar level. Under normal conditions, just one hour after a meal / drink, glycemia reaches its peak.
While waiting for the second blood sampling, you should not eat or drink anything (except still mineral water)!
After the second blood sampling, the test can be considered complete. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you can resume your daily activities. Do not forget to eat and drink early, however.
- Do you want to know your glucose level? Try a wireless electronic glucometer
How to interpret the results?
- fasting glucose below 95 mg / dl, below 140 mg / dl 1 hour after drinking glucose solution – normal result
- glycemia after 1 hour in the range of 140-199 mg / dl – perform the stress test again, this time with 75 g of glucose
- blood glucose after 1 hour above 200 mg / dl, normal result with a glucose load of 75 g – at the 32nd week of pregnancy you will have to repeat the 75 g glucose load test.
What can affect the test results?
- stress (e.g. as a result of surgery or a simple infection)
- doing too strenuous exercise
- drugs: beta-blockers, steroids, thiazide diuretics, some drugs used to treat mental illness.
Therefore, before starting the examination, inform your doctor about all the medications you are taking.
If you have doubts about your blood glucose level, use the products we recommend:
- Test strips for self-measurement of blood glucose – check the offers
- Device for measuring glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides – check offers
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