What is gestational diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition that causes high sugar or glucose levels in the blood. Our bodies use glucose as an energy source. People with diabetes are not able to change glucose into energy, because they do not make enough insulin. When diabetes occurs only during pregnancy, it is known as gestational diabetes. It can be detected by a glucose tolerance test usually performed around the 28th week of pregnancy. Generally gestational diabetes subsides after pregnancy; however, women with this condition have an increased chance of developing diabetes later in life.
At 27-29 weeks, we will do a glucose screen because sometimes pregnancy can cause diabetes in a woman, called “gestational diabetes”. The appointment prior to this you will be given a bottle of a sweet orange liquid (kind of like flat orange crush) and you will be asked to drink it one hour before arriving for your next appointment. One hour after drinking this solution, we will prick your finger and test the glucose level. You do not have to be fasting for this test. We will also check your blood count at this time. Your iron requirements double during pregnancy and sometimes anemia (low hemoglobin) occurs. If your hemoglobin is low, we will recommend an additional iron supplement.
