A simple test at 28 weeks can determine if you have gestational diabetes
At around 28 weeks into their pregnancy, most women are asked to drink up – it’s a sweet, clear liquid that can help reveal whether they have gestational diabetes and in turn, help avoid some the risks associated with the condition.
The sweet 10-ounce solution is free of dyes and preservatives and has about the same amount of sugar as a Snickers bar, according to Samy Iskandar, OBGYN and Medical Director for Women's Services for Bon Secours Medical Group. (Because of how the body processes it, a Snickers bar isn’t actually a valid substitute. Sorry.)
Iskandar said his office keeps the drink cold. After an hour, a blood test completes the first screening. If that screening indicates the need, a three-hour test may be needed, this time with the drink containing 100 grams of glucose rather than the 50 grams of the initial screening. Blood will be checked first in a fasted state, then at one, two and three hours after drinking the liquid.
For some, the idea of drinking the liquid looms large – and social media posts might contribute to that notion – but the glucose tolerance test is important.
“The latest data shows 7 – 10 percent of all pregnancies were complicated by some form of diabetes and 86 percent of those were gestational,” Iskandar said.
Gestational diabetes starts during pregnancy and almost always resolves after delivery. The condition is caused when a hormone produced by the placenta alters the mother’s ability to tolerate carbohydrates.
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“You become in this temporary state of diabetes,” Iskandar said.
In an uncomplicated pregnancy and if the woman doesn’t have other risk factors, the general recommendation is to screen for gestational diabetes at 28 weeks.
“When I was training, it was if you failed, you got automatically put on insulin,” Iskandar said. “We don't do that anymore. We use oral medications. We actually start with just diet. Some women will respond to just eating a low carb diabetic diet and will be able to manage it that way. If that fails, we use oral medications now. It is only if that fails that we go on to insulin at that point.”
Gestational diabetes means an increased risk of large babies, which increases the risk of C-section and other potential problems, and preeclampsia, a dangerous blood pressure condition. Iskandar said uncontrolled blood sugar also slows lung development, so if the baby is born early, their lungs might not be prepared.
While no one looks forward to adding another test to their prenatal plans, this one can help avoid bad outcomes for mom and baby, which is why it is a routine part of prenatal care.
“This is just another standard of care recommendation to make sure that their babies are OK, which is ultimately my job,” Iskandar said.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: simple test at 28 weeks can determine if you have gestational diabetes
