77: Gestational Diabetes Testing (Glucose Challenge Screening & Glucose Tolerance Test)

The glucose challenge screening has become a standard part of prenatal care in the third trimester. This screening test evaluates how well your body processes sugar to find out if you are at risk for gestational diabetes. If your blood glucose levels are not within a normal range you will be required to take the glucose tolerance test. Pregnancy affects your insulin resistance and your blood glucose levels and 6-7% of pregnancies are impacted by gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs only during your pregnancy, and goes away after the birth of your baby. If it is not treated, this diagnosis comes with risks to both you and your baby. Identifying whether you have this condition and treating it, can make a major difference to your and your baby’s health. This episode dives into what gestational diabetes is, how it affects you and your baby, the methods of testing for gestational diabetes and examines the risks of the tests and potential alternatives.