Gestational diabetes laboratory findings

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Seyedmahdi Pahlavani, M.D. [2]

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Overview

Generally a test for gestational diabetes is carried out between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy.

If patient is at risk for gestational diabetes (see Risk Factors) he or she could prescribe a glucose test earlier in the pregnancy.

Laboratory Findings

A health care team will check the affected person's blood glucose level. Depending on the mother's risk and her test results, she may have one or more of the following tests.

• Screening glucose test
• Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)

Screening glucose test

There are several tests intended to identify gestational diabetes in pregnant women.

• The first, called the Screening glucose challenge test, is a preliminary screening test performed between 24-28 weeks. If a woman tests positive during this screening test, the second test, called the Glucose Tolerance Test, may be performed.
• The second test, this test will diagnose whether diabetes exists or not by indicating whether or not the body is using glucose (a type of sugar) effectively.

The Glucose Challenge Screening is now considered to be a standard test performed during the second trimester of pregnancy.

Oral glucose tolerance test

Women who are considered at risk for gestational diabetes are given a screening test called a 50 gram glucose challenge between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy (those with two or more risk factors may be tested earlier). The glucose challenge is performed by giving 50 grams of a glucose drink and then drawing a blood sample one hour later and measuring the level of blood glucose present. Women with a blood sugar level greater than 140 mg/dl may have gestational diabetes, and require a follow up test called a 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).