What are the consequences of not doing glucose tolerance?

1. The importance of sugar screening

Diabetes that is first discovered or develops after pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. Its incidence has been increasing, accounting for about 10% of all pregnant women. This is because during pregnancy, various factors can lead to abnormal sugar metabolism, but many people do not have corresponding symptoms, and even their fasting blood sugar levels are normal, so it has not attracted corresponding attention. However, gestational diabetes can have many adverse effects on pregnant women and fetuses. Therefore, pregnant women who have the conditions are advised to undergo a sugar screening test to detect whether they have gestational diabetes as early as possible and treat it.

2. Inspection process

Blood tests are usually taken between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy for screening. Diabetes screening method: Fast for 12 hours before screening, dissolve 50 grams of glucose powder in 200 ml of water, drink it within 5 minutes, start timing from the first sip, draw blood for blood sugar after 1 hour, blood sugar value ≥7.8mmol means sugar screening is abnormal and further glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is required. Method of glucose tolerance test (OGTT): Fast for 12 hours before the test, first draw blood for blood sugar on an empty stomach, then add 150ml of 50% glucose injection to 100ml of water, or dissolve 75g of glucose powder in 300ml of water, drink it within 5 minutes, start timing after the first sip, draw blood for blood sugar after 1 hour, 2 hours, and 3 hours. The normal value standard is: 5.6mmol/L fasting, 10.3mmol/L at 1 hour, 8.6mmol/L at 2 hours, and 6.7mmol/L at 3 hours. If 2 or more of these items reach or exceed the normal value, it can be diagnosed as gestational diabetes; if only 1 item is higher than the normal value, it is diagnosed as impaired glucose tolerance. The most important thing is: you must wait more than an hour after drinking the sugar water before drawing blood!

3. Notes

1. Reduce the intake of starch (pasta) and sugar two weeks before the examination. Eat as little staple food as possible, and the amount of staple food for each meal should be less than 2 taels (that is, eat less pasta, and the amount of staple food such as rice and flour should not exceed half a catty a day). It is best not to drink rice porridge in the morning, you can use milk instead.

2. Do not eat high-fat foods and try not to eat sugary foods. Sugary foods here refer to sweets, beverages, and even fruits containing refined sugar that can be directly absorbed by the human body without any conversion, such as: chocolate, cola, lychee, sugar cane, a lot of watermelon, etc.

3. Limit the amount of fruit you eat, especially those with high sugar content (change fruits to kiwi, cucumber, tomato, etc. which are not high in sugar. Eat them between meals). Don't eat eggs for dinner.

4. Eat more vegetables, no less than 500 grams per day, to supplement vitamins and fiber.

5. Drink plenty of water and exercise moderately. Take a walk after meals to burn off excess sugar.

6. The day before the sugar screening or glucose tolerance test, it is best to eat light vegetarian food and eat less rice. Make stir-fried bitter melon to lower blood sugar.

7. Do not eat after 8 pm the night before and drink less water.

8. Don’t drink powdered sugar too fast. Drink it slowly, little by little. Don’t drink it all in one gulp. Drink it within 3-5 minutes. It is best to walk more after drinking, so that the energy will be consumed within an hour, which will help lower the blood sugar concentration.

9. The blood draw time should be determined one hour after the drink. If you start drinking at 7:10 and finish at 7:20, you have to draw blood at 8:20.