YAY! I am all cleared for my Gestational Diabetes Test also known as Glucose Tolerance Test yesterday! Quite a few mommies messaged to ask why do I have to take the blood tests, is it because I have high sugar level and why is it their gynaes didn't offer this test?
No, I do not have a personal history of diabetes. But apparently, quite a number of Mothers develops Gestational diabetes during pregnancy, therefore our gynae had already prepped that I would have to do this test a few months back.
Firstly, what is Gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy (gestation). Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar (glucose). Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby's health. Any pregnancy complication is concerning, but there's good news.
What does Gestational diabetes do to your baby?
If you have gestational diabetes, your baby may be at increased risk of: Excessive birth weight. Extra glucose in your bloodstream crosses the placenta, which triggers your baby's pancreas to make extra insulin. This can cause your baby to grow too large.
So this test for Gestational diabetes is usually taken in the third trimester. I took mine at 28 weeks. You will have to prepare for this test. You will need to fast, no food and no water too, from the 10PM.
My mouth was so dry, I had to rinse my mouth thrice since I woke up. You would then head to the hospital first thing in the morning. Our appointment was set at 8.30AM. You would have to take half or full day leave (your gynae can issue you an Medical Certificate) because it would take a few hours.
After the first syringe of blood is drawn, you will be given a bottle of syrup to finish within 10 minutes (some say 5 minutes). My gynae said that the good thing is ours is flavored, some hospitals only offers plain sugar syrup like those at Starbucks.The syrup was horrible, I never enjoyed sweet stuff so it was a torture. I felt so nauseous after my last sips and I had to stay calm by regulating my breathing so not to puke. Cause once you puke, it means reset and you have to drink another bottle!
Husband who was with me the whole time :)What Causes Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes usually starts between week 24 and week 28 of pregnancy when hormones from the placenta block insulin — a hormone produced in the pancreas that regulates the body's metabolism of fats and carbs and helps the body turn sugar into energy — from doing its job and prevent the body from regulating the increased blood sugar of pregnancy effectively. This causes hyperglycemia (or high levels of sugar in the blood), which can damage the nerves, blood vessels and organs in your body
Who's at risk for Gestational Diabetes?
Any woman can develop gestational diabetes, but some women are at greater risk. Risk factors for gestational diabetes include:
• Age greater than 25.
• Family or personal health history.
• Overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
• Nonwhite race. For reasons that aren't clear, women who are black, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian are at higher risk to develop gestational diabetes.
Prevention?
There are no guarantees when it comes to preventing gestational diabetes — but the more healthy habits you can adopt before pregnancy, the better. If you've had gestational diabetes, these healthy choices may also reduce your risk of having it in future pregnancies or developing type 2 diabetes down the road.
• Eat healthy foods. Choose foods high in fiber and low in fat and calories. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• Keep active. Exercising before and during pregnancy can help protect you from developing gestational diabetes. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week.
• Lose excess pounds before pregnancy. Doctors don't recommend weight loss during pregnancy. But if you're planning to get pregnant, losing extra weight beforehand may help you have a healthier pregnancy.
You can read more here!
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