At Doylestown Women's Health Center, our mission is to give the women of Doylestown, PA and the surrounding areas everything they need to live a healthy, happy life – and that includes comprehensive care during and after pregnancy. One critical part of obstetric care is monitoring for complications that might come from a pregnancy, and that includes a pregnancy glucose screening, also called a glucose screening test or a glucose challenge test. These tests check for gestational diabetes, a high blood sugar condition that some women can develop during pregnancy. If your doctor has recommended a pregnancy glucose screening for you, here's what to expect.
About the Pregnancy Glucose Screening
Overall, glucose challenge tests (GCTs) are routine preventive procedures. The test simply involves drinking a specialized glucose solution, then having your blood drawn an hour later and sent to a lab for testing. For some patients, we may recommend fasting for a certain period before the test, so you should check with your doctor or nurse for specific pre-test instructions. After drawing the blood, test results may take up to a week.
A positive test result doesn't necessarily mean you have gestational diabetes. In fact, only about a third of women who get a positive result from a GCT have gestational diabetes. If you do receive a positive result, your doctor will order more comprehensive testing to determine if you have gestational diabetes for sure. If we do find that you've developed gestational diabetes, your doctor will talk with you to determine next steps and develop a plan for managing the condition.
Schedule an Appointment with Doylestown Women's Health Center
Overall, the pregnancy glucose screening is a normal part of the care process for pregnant women. No matter what stage of pregnancy you're in or what you're dealing with, the doctors and nurses at Doylestown Women's Health Center are committed to providing you with everything you need for a healthy, happy pregnancy – and for continued care during parenthood. If you have more questions about the pregnancy glucose screening or any other services we offer, we're always happy to speak with you – just reach out to us at our contact page. We look forward to hearing from you!