Best time to test glucose tolerance

1. What is a glucose tolerance test?

If the expectant mother's sugar screening results show high risk, doctors will generally recommend continuing with a sugar tolerance test - a glucose tolerance test, to confirm whether she has gestational diabetes.

The glucose tolerance test, also known as the glucose tolerance test, is a laboratory test method for diagnosing diabetes. There are two main types: intravenous and oral. The intravenous glucose tolerance test is suitable for special patients such as those after gastrectomy or malabsorption syndrome, while the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is the most common clinical examination method.

2. How long does it take to do a glucose tolerance test during pregnancy?

At present, hospitals in China generally use the industry standard of the Ministry of Health for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes, that is, expectant mothers with normal fasting blood sugar in the early pregnancy are recommended to undergo a formal 75g glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy to monitor blood sugar levels on an empty stomach and 1 hour and 2 hours after drinking sugar. If any one of the three items reaches or exceeds the limit value, that is, fasting blood sugar and blood sugar 1 hour and 2 hours after taking sugar are 5.1mmol/L, 10.0mmol/L, and 8.5mmol/L respectively, gestational diabetes can be diagnosed.

3. Is it necessary to do glucose tolerance test?

For expectant mothers with normal glucose screening results, there is no need to do a glucose tolerance test. However, for expectant mothers with positive glucose screening results, a glucose tolerance test should be performed to confirm whether they have gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes refers to the phenomenon of high blood sugar during pregnancy when the mother does not have diabetes before pregnancy. This disease will have a great adverse effect on the physical health of the expectant mother and the normal development of the fetus, and the probability of premature rupture of membranes, premature birth, and macrosomia will be significantly increased.

4. Glucose tolerance screening for high-risk groups

Women at greatest risk are those who already have diabetes or have had diabetes in a previous pregnancy and those who have given birth to more than one macrosomia. Other risky situations include:

Older expectant mothers (the tendency of diabetes development increases with age);

Women with high blood pressure or who are overweight;

Women who have a parent or sibling who takes insulin injections for diabetes.