Gestational Diabetes and its Diagnosis

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is generally diagnosed between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. During pregnancy, the placenta makes hormones that can lead to a buildup of sugar in your blood. Usually, your pancreas can make enough insulin to handle that. If not, your blood sugar levels will rise and can cause gestational diabetes.

It is usually diagnosed during late pregnancy. If you are diagnosed with diabetes earlier in your pregnancy, you may have had diabetes before you became pregnant. This needs to be recognized and treated quickly because it can cause health problems for mother and baby. A gestational diabetes diagnosis is done by oral glucose challenge test (OGCT).

Oral Glucose Challenge Test

The oral glucose challenge test (OGCT) is used to check pregnant women for signs of gestational diabetes.The oral glucose challenge test involves 50g of glucose, with a reading after one hour.
Results of the oral glucose challenge test are given in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
A blood sugar level below 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is considered normal.
A blood sugar level of 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) or higher might indicate gestational diabetes.