How is gestational diabetes diagnosed

How is Gestational Diabetes Diagnosed

Each month of your pregnancy you should have a prenatal exam by your health care

provider. During your visit to the office or clinic you will provide a urine sample to the

nurse. Amongst other things, the doctor or midwife wants to determine if there is in

glucose in your urine.

If your body is spilling glucose into your urine, it is a warning sign that you may have

gestational diabetes. The next step that your doctor may take is to test your blood sugar

level in the office with a glucose monitor. This is a small, transportable device that

comes with an electronic reader, lancets, and testing strips. A small pin prick is made on

your finger with the lancet and the drop of blood is placed on one of the strips and placed

into the reader. Depending on the reading the monitor provides your doctor may or may

not order a blood test at the lab.

To be on the cautious side, most doctors will send you for a glucose tolerance test at the

lab regardless of the blood sugar level in the office. This is a fasting test and you will not

be able to eat for 10 hours before having your blood tested. For this reason, the tests are

performed first thing in the morning and you don’t eat anything before going to bed.

When you arrive you will have your blood drawn and then be given a drink high in sugar.

After drinking this, you will be asked to wait one hour and have your blood tested again.

The results of this test will tell how your body is processing the sugar in your body.

If the tests come back positive, most likely you will be referred to a specialist for further

care and treatment.