Glucose Tolerance Test Instructions
This test measures your body's ability to handle sugar. Some pregnant women become diabetic during pregnancy, a condition known as gestational diabetes. Uncontrolled gestational diabetes can cause several problems for mother and baby, most notably increased fetal weight and subsequent problems with delivery. This test is also important because a woman that has been gestational diabetic has a 50% chance of becoming diabetic sometime later in life.
Should you be diagnosed with gestational diabetes, we will discuss the treatment at that time.
THIS IS A TIMED TEST
- Keep the glucose drink refrigerated until it is time to drink it.
- Drink the entire bottle of the glucose drink within 5 minutes.
- Drink the glucose drink about 45 minutes before you are to arrive at our office.
- Remember exactly what time you finished the drink. Your blood will need to be drawn one hour after you finished the glucose drink.
- When you check in at the front desk, be sure to tell the receptionist what time you finished your glucose drink. If your blood is not drawn one hour after you finish the glucose drink, the test must be repeated.
- You do not need to fast before this test. You may have a regular breakfast, lunch, ect. However this means to avoid foods and drinks with sugar. Alsoonce you finish the glucose drink you are not to have anything to eat or drink except water. This includes any gum or candy.
- We will notify you of abnormal test results. If results are normal, we will discuss them with you at your next appointment.
- This test is a screening test. This means that if your blood sugar is too high you will need to take a more definitive test to determine whether or not you actually have gestational diabetes.
