Avoid sugars and refined carbs – Don’t eat high-sugar foods or simple carbs (including refined grains) the morning of your glucose screening. The body breaks these foods down quickly, leading to a spike in blood sugar levels. That means avoiding breakfast favorites like:
- Orange juice and other fruit juices
- Sugary granola
- Refined cereal
- Sweetened toppings like jam or syrup
- Pancakes, waffles and French toast
- Donuts
- White bread
- Many other breakfast treats made with refined white flour, like banana bread, croissants, muffins and pastries
Contents
Do and don’ts before pregnancy glucose test?
How to Prepare – 3 hour test – If your doctor would like to see additional testing, based on your results from the 1 hour test, you may be asked to have a 3 hour OGTT. It is important to follow all of the instructions very carefully, as it will affect the results of the test.
- When you arrive at the office a sample or baseline glucose test will be run and used for comparing other glucose values.
- You will be asked to drink a sweet liquid containing a measured amount of glucose, it is best to drink it quickly.
- Then blood samples will be collected at timed intervals of 1,2, and 3 hours after you drink the glucose.
Here is the best method of preparation:
Eat a balanced diet that contains at least 150 grams of carbohydrates per day for 3 days before the test. Fruits, breads, cereal, rice, crackers, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, beans and corn are good sources of carbohydrates.Do not eat, drink, smoke, or exercise strenuously for at least 8 hours before your first blood sample is taken.Tell your doctor about all prescription and nonprescription medicines you are taking. You may be instructed to stop taking certain medicines before the test.The OGTT may take up to 4 hours. Since activity can interfere with test results, you will be asked to sit quietly during the entire test. Do not eat during the test. You may drink only water during this time.
Does drinking water help pass glucose test?
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that happens either because the body either produces insufficient amounts of insulin or doesn’t use insulin properly causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to rise (hyperglycemia). Drinking water before a fasting blood sugar test can actually decrease blood sugar levels, or at least prevent levels from getting too high.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that happens either because the body either produces insufficient amounts of insulin or doesn’t use insulin properly causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to rise ( hyperglycemia ). Drinking water before a fasting blood sugar test can actually decrease blood sugar levels, or at least prevent levels from getting too high.
Water allows more glucose to be flushed out of the blood. When you’re dehydrated, it means your overall blood volume is lower than normal, but your sugars will be the same. This means your blood is more concentrated (not diluted with water) and your blood sugar levels will be higher.
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Can you trick the gestational diabetes test?
How do I know if I have gestational diabetes? There’s a test for that. – There aren’t any symptoms for gestational diabetes. All pregnant women are tested for the disease somewhere between 24-28 weeks. Here’s what you’ll do when you take the gestational diabetes test:
After one of your routine doctor’s appointments, you’ll be asked to visit the clinic laboratory. The lab tech will give you a sugary drink and after drinking it you’ll wait for one hour in the waiting room. This gives your body time to digest the drink so we can see how your body is handling glucose. When your hour is up, you’ll get your blood drawn and your glucose levels will be tested. Your doctor will share your results usually within 1-2 days.
If your glucose levels are high, don’t panic. This just means you’ll need to schedule another appointment at the lab to take a longer glucose test so we can take a closer look. Here’s what to expect:
First, you’ll need to fast for 12 hours before the test. Don’t try to fool the test. Altering your diet in anticipation for the test doesn’t work. You’ll come back to the lab and have your blood drawn once you arrive. Then, you’ll drink the sugary drink and wait for one hour. After that hour, you’ll get your blood drawn again. Then, you’ll go back to the waiting room and wait for a second hour. After the second hour, you’ll get your blood drawn again. Then you’ll wait for a third hour and get your blood drawn at the end of the third hour. Your doctor will share your results usually within 1-2 days.
If your glucose levels are still high after this longer glucose test, then you’ll be paired with a diabetes educator and dietitian to develop a plan to manage your gestational diabetes.
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Is it common to fail 1 hour glucose test?
The truth about this test is that the one-hour test is pretty easy to ‘fail,’ and many people do! They make the threshold low enough so that they catch anyone who could be having an issue, just in case.
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What should I not do the night before my glucose test?
How the Test is Performed – TWO-STEP TESTING During the first step, you will have a glucose screening test:
You do not need to prepare or change your diet in any way.You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose.Your blood will be drawn 1 hour after you drink the glucose solution to check your blood glucose level.
If your blood glucose from the first step is too high, you will need to come back for a 3-hour glucose tolerance test. For this test:
Do not eat or drink anything (other than sips of water) for 8 to 14 hours before your test. (You also cannot eat during the test.)You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose, 100 grams (g),You will have blood drawn before you drink the liquid, and again 3 more times every 60 minutes after you drink it. Each time, your blood glucose level will be checked.Allow at least 3 hours for this test.
ONE-STEP TESTING You need to go to the lab one time for a 2-hour glucose tolerance test. For this test:
Do not eat or drink anything (other than sips of water) for 8 to 14 hours before your test. (You also cannot eat during the test.)You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose (75 g).You will have blood drawn before you drink the liquid, and again 2 more times every 60 minutes after you drink it. Each time, your blood glucose level will be checked.Allow at least 2 hours for this test.
What affects pregnancy glucose test?
Food and medications – It’s important to eat and drink normally in the days leading up to the glucose tolerance test. Let your doctor know if you’re ill or taking any medications, as these factors can affect the results of your test.
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How can I reduce my sugar level fast?
We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:
Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm? Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence? Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. When your blood sugar level gets too high — known as hyperglycemia or high blood glucose — the quickest way to reduce it is to take fast-acting insulin. Exercising is another fast, effective way to lower blood sugar.
shortness of breathbreath that smells fruitynausea and vomitinga very dry mouth
If you aren’t sure what to do, call your doctor to get instructions on administering a dose of insulin, and for advice about whether to go to the emergency room. This article looks at ways to lower your blood sugar quickly, when to go to the emergency room or see a doctor, and tips for managing high blood sugar.
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Can you drink water the night before a glucose test?
DO NOT eat or drink anything except WATER for at least 8 hours before the test. You may drink plain water ONLY. Do NOT drink coffee, tea, soda (regular or diet) or any other beverages. Do NOT smoke, chew gum (regular or sugar-free) or exercise.
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Is it OK to drink water before sugar test?
How do I prepare for a fasting blood sugar test? – To prepare for a fasting glucose test, you should have nothing to eat or drink (except water) for 8 to 12 hours. Your healthcare provider will tell you how long to fast.
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What triggers gestational diabetes?
What Causes Gestational Diabetes? – Gestational diabetes occurs when your body can’t make enough insulin during your pregnancy. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that acts like a key to let blood sugar into the cells in your body for use as energy.
- During pregnancy, your body makes more hormones and goes through other changes, such as weight gain.
- These changes cause your body’s cells to use insulin less effectively, a condition called insulin resistance,
- Insulin resistance increases your body’s need for insulin.
- All pregnant women have some insulin resistance during late pregnancy.
However, some women have insulin resistance even before they get pregnant. They start pregnancy with an increased need for insulin and are more likely to have gestational diabetes. About 50% of women with gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes, but there are steps you can take to prevent it.
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Can eating too much sugar cause gestational diabetes?
What happens if I eat too much sugar when I’m pregnant? – Most sugary foods and drinks are made with sucrose, otherwise known as table sugar. This form of sugar releases energy quickly, causing blood glucose to spike, triggering a rapid release of insulin to absorb it.
- You’ve probably experienced the boost of a sugar rush, which is generally followed by a dramatic slump in energy.
- Rather than keeping you going throughout the day, eating too much sugar when you’re pregnant can leave you feeling even more tired 1,
- A low-sugar intake helps to keep your blood sugar more stable, along with your resulting energy levels 2 and is more likely to result in healthy pregnancy weight gain,
Eating too much sugar when you’re pregnant may increase your risk of gestational diabetes 3 and pre-eclampsia 4 and increases the risk of your baby becoming overweight later in life 2,
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How long should I not eat before glucose test pregnancy?
Do not eat or drink anything (other than sips of water) for 8 to 14 hours before your test. (You also cannot eat during the test.) You will be asked to drink a liquid that contains glucose (75 g). You will have blood drawn before you drink the liquid, and again 2 more times every 60 minutes after you drink it.
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Can stress cause you to fail glucose test?
Frequently Asked Questions –
Does stress affect blood sugar levels? Yes, both physical and emotional stress can impact blood sugar and make it unpredictable. Most commonly, stress will raise blood sugar in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, in people with type 1, stress can also lower blood sugar levels. How does cortisol impact blood sugar? The stress hormone cortisol helps the body respond to a perceived threat. As part of the fight-or-flight response, cortisol triggers the liver to release glucose to fuel the body as it deals with danger. This primitive response, designed to keep you alive in the face of a deadly predator, is activated in the modern world when we are anxious, angry, frightened, or otherwise under stress. Physical stress also releases cortisol, including strenuous exercise, physical labor, illness, or injury. In most people with diabetes, the cascading effects of cortisol raise blood sugar levels. However, people with type 1 diabetes are prone to adrenal fatigue, which hinders the production of cortisol and can lead to low blood sugar. Why does exercise raise my blood sugar? Exercise can cause a temporary spike in blood sugar. Strenuous exercise prompts the release of cortisol, which triggers the release of glucose into the bloodstream to fuel your workout. This effect is only temporary. Your muscles will soak up the excess glucose. In fact, research shows that 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity exercise can reverse insulin resistance for up to 48 hours. Why does my blood sugar dip when I’m stressed? Some people with diabetes experience low blood sugar when under stress. This can be due to adrenal fatigue, which is common in people with type 1 diabetes. The adrenal glands are responsible for the production and release of cortisol, which typically raises blood sugar. Healthy adrenal glands respond to low blood sugar by releasing cortisol to spur the liver to churn out glucose, which brings blood sugar back to normal levels. The adrenal glands can burn out over time causing an imbalance of blood-sugar-regulating hormones.
What happens if you fail your glucose test while pregnant?
How do I prepare for a glucose tolerance test? – If you fail your glucose screening, your pregnancy care provider will suggest a second test to diagnose gestational diabetes. This test is similar, but lasts longer and requires more blood draws. Your pregnancy care provider will give you specific eating instructions before your test. The instructions may include:
Eating at least 150 milligrams (mg) of carbohydrates per day for three days before testing. Restricting all food and drink for at least eight to 12 hours before the test. Drinking a few sips of water the morning of the test is usually OK. Scheduling your test for first thing in the morning.
It’s important to note, it’s possible to fail your glucose screening but pass a glucose tolerance test.
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Does what you eat night before glucose test affect results?
Fasting before certain blood tests is important to help make sure that your test results are accurate. The vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins that make up all food and beverages can impact blood-level readings, clouding the results of your test.
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What should I eat the night before my glucose tolerance test?
Fasting glucose test – What is it? This is a standard screening test for diabetes that measures the level of sugar, or glucose, in your blood after an overnight fast. Results of 99 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) are considered normal, 100-125 mg/dL suggests prediabetes, and 126 mg/dL suggests diabetes.
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Does sleep affect glucose test?
What Is Normal Fasting Blood Sugar? – Fasting blood sugar is usually measured in the morning, before breakfast. The table below shows whether your blood sugar level is in the normal range, or if it means you may have prediabetes or diabetes.
| Blood Sugar Level | mg/dL |
|---|---|
| Normal | less than 100 mg/dL |
| Prediabetes | 100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL |
| Diabetes | 126 mg/dL or higher |
Reviewed on 3/16/2021 References https://www.diabetes.org/a1c/diagnosis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4402671/ https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/blood-sugar-management/high-morning-blood-sugars
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Can I skip glucose tolerance test pregnancy?
Doctors recommend having a glucose test for gestational diabetes, but it’s not mandatory. Here’s what you need to know to make an informed choice. It’s an appointment on the calendar most people dread during pregnancy: the glucose test (or oral glucose screening), usually scheduled around week 24 to week 28,
You’ve no doubt seen many Instagram or Facebook pics posted by women tasked with drinking the super-sweet, typically orange liquid to gauge their body’s ability to handle glucose. This test is one of the ways to screen for gestational diabetes, a temporary form of diabetes that occurs only in pregnancy and typically resolves after delivery.
Since about 50% of women with gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes, it’s important to know if you have this condition and how you can manage it. The mama-to-be drinks the juice, hangs out for an hour in the waiting room, and then has blood taken to measure her glucose levels.
- This test does not require fasting and can be done at any time of day,
- If your blood sugar is normal after the test, meaning you have a reading of less than 7.8 millimoles/L, you will not require further testing.
- If your test result falls between 7.8 and 11.1 mmol/L, you will have a second test done on another day, which needs to be done in the morning after fasting.
If your original test result is higher than 11.1 mmol/L, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes and be given a care plan. When I was expecting my second baby, the nurse at my bloodwork clinic told me there are two kinds of women when it comes to the glucose test: chuggers and sippers.
I was totally a chugger. I downed that syrupy drink in just a few mouthfuls, to get the test over with as soon as possible. But a couple of days later, the doctor’s office called me back. There had been an error at the lab. I had to do the test again. I chugged the second time, too, eager to get back to work.
That time my results were borderline, just a hair above acceptable levels, and my care team gave me a choice: just assume I had gestational diabetes, or do the oral glucose tolerance test, a second, more intense screening that involved fasting overnight, drinking a larger quantity of the sugary solution, waiting three hours and having blood drawn multiple times to get a more accurate read.
- I opted to do the test, so I’d know for sure.
- I knew that the treatments for gestational diabetes—lifestyle changes and, sometimes, daily medication—aren’t easy, and I wanted to avoid unnecessary intervention.
- I sipped the drink this last time, though, thinking that maybe chugging it down in a few gulps was bad luck.) The night before my third visit to the lab, my husband asked me what would happen if I just skipped the test.
I didn’t know—I assumed it was mandatory. “You can’t make anything mandatory, but the tests are highly recommended,” says Katrina Sawatsky, a physician at the Northeast Calgary Women’s Clinic. “Sometimes women in their second pregnancies, with no risk factors, are given the option to opt out, but I don’t think you can go on risk factors alone.
There aren’t really any physical symptoms of gestational diabetes in the mom, so I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.” Risk factors for gestational diabetes include a previous history of gestational diabetes with prior pregnancies, having type 1 or 2 diabetes, a family history of diabetes, a BMI of 30 or more, being an older mom or being of a non-white ethnicity.
“It’s also important to note that gestational diabetes is a bigger deal for the fetus than for the mother,” says Sawatsky. “The baby can be large for gestational age, or macrosomic at birth.” This means he or she weighs above the 95 th percentile—for a baby born at 37 weeks or later, that would mean at least eight pounds.
This increased size potentially makes delivery much more difficult. Plus, after delivery, the baby has a higher risk of being hypoglycemic, which may lead to the child needing to spend time in neonatal intensive care.” However, there isn’t a lot of definitive evidence that the treatments for gestational diabetes—a closely monitored diet, increased activity levels during pregnancy and, sometimes, glucose-controlling meds or insulin—actually improve these outcomes.
If you selected a midwife as your care provider instead of an OB/GYN, whether or not you’re going to take the glucose test to begin with may be presented as a question, instead of as an assumption or recommendation. For CJ Blennerhassett, a registered midwife at Kensington Midwives in Toronto, all of her patients’ tests are optional during pregnancy.
- Educated decision-making is a pillar of midwifery care.) Some women choose not to do the initial screening at all.
- In her practice, Blennerhassett presents all of the research, risks and benefits to the expectant mother, and allows her to make her own personal choice about whether to take the test, and what to do if she gets a positive diagnosis.
Taking the test is optional of course, but if you’re undecided, here’s why it’s encouraged by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada: undiagnosed and untreated GD increases the risk of birth complications, preeclampsia, shoulder dystocia (where the baby’s shoulder can get stuck during delivery) and stillbirth at 36-40 weeks.
- It can also increase the risk of your baby developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
- A summary of clinical studies found that the routine lifestyle interventions for GD, including dietary changes, physical activity and monitoring blood glucose levels, can have additional benefits.
- Some of the positive outcomes of treatment include less postnatal depression and a decreased risk of the baby being born large for their gestational age.
“In the case of gestational diabetes, the most significant improvement we see is in macrosomia and shoulder dystocia—where the baby’s shoulder can get stuck during delivery. But both of these things often happen in mothers without gestational diabetes, too.” A gestational diabetes diagnosis does not automatically categorize a pregnant woman as “high-risk.” However, if your prenatal care is primarily through a midwife, and not a doctor, your care team may need to expand to include an endocrinologist, a dietitian, and possibly an OB for additional monitoring, along with your midwife,
- I wish I’d known more about the glucose test when I went through it, and about what a positive gestational diabetes diagnosis would have meant for my daughter and me.
- In the end, I didn’t have gestational diabetes, but if I had known more about the impact of treatments on outcomes—basically, that the treatments don’t always work—I’m not sure I would have opted to test myself a third time.
When it comes to medical stuff, however, I tend to worry, so I was glad to have done the testing just to rule it out. Ultimately, I devoted more than six hours in the lab, and a whole lot of anxiety, just to be told that everything was as it should be.
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What if I throw up during glucose test?
Will this test make me feel sick? – Some moms-to-be feel nauseated after drinking the glucose solution, and a few even throw up. It sometimes helps to have eaten something a few hours before the screening test. If you vomit soon after you’ve got the drink down, you’ll have to come back another day and repeat the test.
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How long should you avoid sugar before glucose test?
Glucose Tolerance Test | Instructions For 3-hours This test is done to evaluate how your body is processing sugar and to determine if you have developed Gestational Diabetes (Diabetes of Pregnancy). The test requires a total of four blood draws. The first is done fasting (after you have had nothing to eat or drink for at least 8-12 hours prior—except water).
You should eat your normal diet prior to the day of testing. Do not eat, drink, smoke, or exercise for at least 8-12 hours before your first blood sample is taken. You may drink plain water but no other beverages. This test may take up to four hours to complete. Activity can interfere with the results so you will need to remain in the lab for the duration of the test. Consider bringing something to read or a project to work on while waiting. You may drink water so feel free to bring your own cup or water bottle. Once the test is completed, you may resume normal eating and drinking. You may be hungry once the test is finished, so you may want to bring along a light snack to eat before leaving or driving home.
Gestational Diabetes is typically diagnosed when two or more of the results are elevated. Your doctor may also use other criteria to make the diagnosis. Video Transcription:Hi, I’m Nicole, I’m a nurse here at Moreland OB-GYN and I‘m here to you about our two glucose tests that we do during pregnancy.
These tests measure the pregnant women’s reaction to glucose and screen for gestational diabetes which is a condition when a woman that does not have diabetes ends up with elevated high glucose levels. Having elevated blood sugar during pregnancy can affect your baby and your delivery. Advanced maternal age, your activity level, being overweight, or having a family member with diabetes all are factors that can contribute to gestational diabetes.
First, I will explain the 1-hour glucose test, otherwise known as O’Sullivan Testing. You will be given a drink, like this, typically at your 24-week prenatal visit. You will be expected to drink the liquid prior to your next visit between 26 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
You need to drink this within 5 minutes, and then you will have to have your blood drawn one hour from that time. What does the drink taste like? It’s very sweet so we recommend drinking it straight from the fridge so it’s nice and cold to help control that sweetness. It is recommended to avoid foods or snacks that are high in sugar prior to the test.
A normal or negative test result means you do not have gestational diabetes. However, an abnormal or positive test result means you are at risk for having gestational diabetes and we will need you to do the three-hour glucose test. So how does the three-hour test work? There are multiple blood draws for the three-hour glucose test, the first after fasting for 8-12 hours.
Then you will be given a similar glucose liquid to drink and blood samples will be taken at 1, 2, and 3 hours after completing that drink. Because activity can interfere with the results, you will need to stay in the lab during the duration of the test, so we recommend bringing something to read, a project to work on, something to watch while you are waiting.
You may drink plain water during the test however no food can be consumed at the time. Bring a snack for after cause you may be quite hungry. Based on the results of this test and other criteria that your doctor uses, you will be given a diagnosis. If you’re positive after this test, your physician will provide you information and other resources on how to manage your gestational diabetes.
- We hope this video gave you an overview of the testing performed to check for gestational diabetes.
- We have additional information on our website – Moreland o-b-g-n dot com, and if you still want more information, please ask your physician at your next visit.
- As always, it’s our job here at Moreland to lead women to better health.
: Glucose Tolerance Test | Instructions For 3-hours
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Can you brush your teeth before pregnancy glucose test?
You should have nothing to eat or drink (other than water) for 8-10 hours before the test. The morning of the test, you can brush your teeth, and you can take medications with small sips of water.
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Is coffee OK before glucose test pregnancy?
DO NOT eat or drink anything except WATER for at least 8 hours before the test. You may drink plain water ONLY. Do NOT drink coffee, tea, soda (regular or diet) or any other beverages. Do NOT smoke, chew gum (regular or sugar-free) or exercise.
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Should you avoid sugar before gestational diabetes test?
The O’Sullivan test measures pregnant women’s body’s reaction to glucose (sugar). The test is administered between the 26-28 week mark during the pregnancy and is done to screen for gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a condition when women without diabetes develop high blood sugar levels while they are pregnant.
- After going through the test, which is further explained below, you will know if your levels are below normal, normal, or above normal.
- If your levels are abnormal, you will need to schedule additional tests to confirm your diagnosis.
- The values that are used to determine gestational diabetes were first detected by O’Sullivan and Mahan in 1964 during a study designed to be able to recognize the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Later the test was informally named after O’Sullivan. Video Transcription: Hi, I’m Nicole, I’m a nurse here at Moreland OB-GYN and I‘m here to you about our two glucose tests that we do during pregnancy. These tests measure the pregnant women’s reaction to glucose and screen for gestational diabetes which is a condition when a woman that does not have diabetes ends up with elevated high glucose levels.
Having elevated blood sugar during pregnancy can affect your baby and your delivery. Advanced maternal age, your activity level, being overweight, or having a family member with diabetes all are factors that can contribute to gestational diabetes. First, I will explain the 1-hour glucose test, otherwise known as O’Sullivan Testing.
You will be given a drink, like this, typically at your 24-week prenatal visit. You will be expected to drink the liquid prior to your next visit between 26 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. You need to drink this within 5 minutes, and then you will have to have your blood drawn one hour from that time.
- What does the drink taste like? It’s very sweet so we recommend drinking it straight from the fridge so it’s nice and cold to help control that sweetness.
- It is recommended to avoid foods or snacks that are high in sugar prior to the test.
- A normal or negative test result means you do not have gestational diabetes.
However, an abnormal or positive test result means you are at risk for having gestational diabetes and we will need you to do the three-hour glucose test. So how does the three-hour test work? There are multiple blood draws for the three-hour glucose test, the first after fasting for 8-12 hours.
- Then you will be given a similar glucose liquid to drink and blood samples will be taken at 1, 2, and 3 hours after completing that drink.
- Because activity can interfere with the results, you will need to stay in the lab during the duration of the test, so we recommend bringing something to read, a project to work on, something to watch while you are waiting.
You may drink plain water during the test however no food can be consumed at the time. Bring a snack for after cause you may be quite hungry. Based on the results of this test and other criteria that your doctor uses, you will be given a diagnosis. If you’re positive after this test, your physician will provide you information and other resources on how to manage your gestational diabetes.
We hope this video gave you an overview of the testing performed to check for gestational diabetes. We have additional information on our website – Moreland o-b-g-n dot com, and if you still want more information, please ask your physician at your next visit. As always, it’s our job here at Moreland to lead women to better health.
Why am I Having This Test? How is This Test Done? You will be given a drink containing glucose from your physician. This is usually given to you when you are around 24 weeks to drink prior to your 28-week appointment. It is recommended you put the drink in the refrigerator; it seems to taste better cold.
You are directed to drink the entire bottle within 5 minutes, You will then need to have your blood drawn 1 hour after completing the drink, It is recommended showing up to the lab at least 15 minutes prior to the 1-hour time limit, just in case there is a wait – lab will not draw you if you are over the 1-hour limit and you will have to do the drink again.
What Do I Do On The Day of The Test? 
On the day of testing, avoid foods or snacks that are high in sugar, otherwise, you should eat normally. Time your blood draw to complete the test prior to your physician appointment. Your blood needs to be drawn exactly 1 hour from completion of the glucola drink,
- Make sure you alert lab personnel that you are there for a timed diabetic test and the time you are due to be tested.
- Looking for more helpful tips? Download your pregnancy planning kit, now! What Do The Test Results Mean? A normal or negative result means that you do not have gestational diabetes.
- An abnormal or positive result means that you are at risk for gestational diabetes and an additional test, called a 3-hour glucose tolerance test, will need to be performed.
You will be given specific instructions should you need to have this test done.
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