If one or more of these risk factors apply to you, you may be screened earlier than 24 weeks. The actual test consists of 2 phases: a screening test and, if necessary, a tolerance test. The screening test involves drinking 50 grams of a sugar solution called glucola. After one hour your blood is tested for the level of sugar. If it is greater than 130-140 mg/dl this is considered abnormal. In this case you will be given a glucose tolerance test. You will be asked to fast (no food or drink) overnight for 8-12 hours. First a fasting blood glucose level will be checked – It should be below 105mg/dl. You will then be given 100 grams of sugar solution to drink. In one hour your blood sugar level should be less than 190 mg/dl. After two hours it should be less than 165 mg/dl. After three hours it should be less than 145 mg/dl. If any two of these readings are abnormal then the test is considered abnormal.

If you have an abnormal glucose tolerance test, you will most likely meet with a specially trained nurse or dietitian to help you keep help you monitor this condition. This includes being placed on a special diet and testing your blood sugar levels at regular intervals. In most cases careful diet management is sufficient to keep gestational diabetes under control, however, some women may need insulin to help maintain their blood sugars.