GTT-Glucose Tolerance Test
One of the
conditions that your caregiver is monitoring you for is something called Gestational
Diabetes. Like other forms of diabetes, gestational diabetes refers to
the level of glucose, or blood sugar that is in your blood. Doctors believe that the hormonal changes
during pregnancy can make it harder for your body to use insulin, and with less
insulin in your blood, more sugar [glucose] remains in your blood stream
instead of being burned for energy during your daily activities. Having a high
level of sugar in your blood is unhealthy for both you and your baby.
Gestational diabetes usually happens in your fifth or sixth month of pregnancy,
however if you have a past history of gestatational diabetes in a prior
pregnancy, or if you gave birth to a heavy baby previously [10 pounds or more] your
doctor or midwife may decide to test you in the first few months so they are
aware of the condition and can plan for treatment. This is also true if you
have a family history of diabetes, or in women who are obese, which is
generally categorized as being 30 pounds or more overweight. Fortunately, gestational diabetes is a
temporary condition, but can present risk factors to both mother and baby and
therefore, the GTT is a routine and mandatory part of prenatal care. Additionally, mothers who develop gestational
diabetes unfortunately have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later
in life. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of adult diabetes.
During
testing for GTT, your caregiver will direct you to drink a certain amount of a
liquid called Glucola, wait for an hour, and then get a test to measure blood
levels. This may happen at your office
visit, or your caregiver may give you a bottle of glucola to drink one hour
prior to coming in for your next visit. The
test involves a simple finger prick and a drop of blood to use in the
measurement of glucose. These are the
same type of glucose tests that you see in any pharmacy under the names of
Lifescan™ or One Touch™. If your blood levels are high after one hour, it is an
indication that you are at an increased risk, but does not mean that you have
gestational diabetes. In this case, your doctor or midwife will do a second
test for GTT which requires that you fast for 8 hours, test for glucose levels
with no glucola, and then drink your glucola.
Your blood will then be tested after 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours to see
how your body is processing the glucola. The 3 hour test is the most accurate
way to determine if you have gestational diabetes, but it is generally only
ordered if there is a high result from the standard 1 hour test. If you are a mom that needs to have the 3
hour test, it is always best to make a morning appointment since you are
already fasting when you sleep. It also
allows you to keep more of a normal eating schedule.
In general,
gestational diabetes can be controlled through diet and exercise, but some
cases require medication, usually insulin, to correct the problem. While you
don’t have full control over whether or not you will develop gestational
diabetes, you can do everything possible to prevent it from occurring by making
sure you stay at a healthy weight, be conscious of your diet and nutrition,
stay away from high sugar foods like ice cream and dessert [even if you have a
cravingJ] and staying committed to a
regular exercise routine.
