During the second trimester of pregnancy, women take a routine diabetes test that helps determine if they have gestational diabetes. It is important to know what you should eat before a pregnancy glucose test because food does affect blood glucose levels.
What is a Pregnancy Glucose Tolerance Test?
A glucose test is a test that measures how well a person’s body can absorb glucose when he/she is given a specific amount of sugar. The pregnancy glucose test is a routine screening that tests for gestational diabetes in pregnant women since pregnancy can cause type 2 diabetes. The screening is done during the second trimester between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. There are two different types of glucose screenings. They include the glucose challenge test and the 3-hour glucose tolerance test.
The Glucose Challenge Test
When taking the one-hour glucose challenge test, you would be given a drink called glucola, a sweet glucose solution containing 50 grams of sugar. After one hour of drinking it, the doctor will take a blood sample and measure your blood sugar levels. If the blood draw results are below 140 mg/dl, you have passed. If your blood sugar is over 190 mg/dl after the one-hour test, you would be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. If the results are in between, you would have to take the oral glucose tolerance test.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
This three-hour screening involves drinking a sugary drink containing 75 grams of glucose. The doctor will take a blood sample before drinking the solution and again 3 more times every hour. All the blood level results need to be normal to pass this screening. If one is abnormal, you may just make simple changes to your diet. If two or more are abnormal, you have GD. According to the American Pregnancy Association, the following levels are considered abnormal: Fasting Glucose Level: 95 mg/dl or higher One Hour Level: 180 mg/dl or higher Two Hours Level: 155 mg/dl or higher Three Hours Level: 140 mg/dl or higher
What Foods Should You Eat Before a Glucose Test
Foods can affect the glucose challenge test. When you eat, your body converts the carbs into glucose. If you eat the wrong types of food right before the glucose screening, you may get a false result for gestational diabetes. Any food that is a complex carbohydrate is great to eat before this screening test because your body breaks them down slowly and these foods do not cause any spike in sugar. Here are some examples of good carbs you may want to eat:
Whole Grains (whole wheat bread, brown rice) Legumes (chickpeas, lentils, black beans)
Fresh fruit Non-starchy veggies Dairy Nuts & nut butter Fish Lean meats
Usually, the test is done in the morning. So, you should eat the right breakfast before going to the test. The best breakfast would be a combination of complex carbohydrates with protein. Some examples include whole wheat toast with avocado, greek yogurt with fruit, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. In contrast, the OGTT comes with different instructions. You should eat 150g of carbs for three days before this test. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, you should stop eating or drinking anything for at least 8 hours before this screening. You can take sips of water.
What Not to Eat Before a Glucose Screening Test
You should not eat foods high in sugar for the one-hour test. These types of food are easily digested and cause high blood sugar levels. Here are some foods to avoid for the challenge test:
Fruit juices, smoothies & soda Sweet tea Granola Refined cereals
Pancakes Donuts White bread Croissants Muffins
Refined grains
In contrast, as mentioned before, you should not eat or drink anything for at least 8 hrs before the OGTT. You should also not eat low carbohydrate meals during the three days before the OGTT.
What are the Benefits of Eating Before a Glucose Pregnancy Test?
Many women think that they have to fast before a glucose challenge test. In reality, pregnant women should eat before this screening because not eating would cause abnormal insulin levels. For the OGTT, you must eat a diet with high carbohydrates for three days before the test. Eating a low carbohydrate diet or a restrictive diet before this screening can cause problems in insulin levels, and you may even get a false positive for gestational diabetes. The benefit of eating 150 grams of carbohydrates for three days is that it helps keep insulin sensitivity normal and helps prepare your metabolism for tolerating the glucose drink given during the test.
What Happens If You Do Not Pass the Glucose Screening Test?
If you do not pass the glucose challenge test, that does not mean you have gestational diabetes. It just means you will have to take the three-hour test. However, if you still get abnormal test results in two or more blood samples, you will likely be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Your pregnancy will be monitored more if you have gestational diabetes. Your doctor and nutritionist will probably put you on a specific diet that will help keep your insulin levels normal. Luckily, gestational diabetes usually goes away after the birth of your baby.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep glucose blood levels normal during pregnancy. This usually occurs because of pregnancy hormones that affect the production of insulin. Some women have higher risks of developing gestational diabetes. These risk factors include having a family history of diabetes, excess weight, pre-diabetes, gestational diabetes during prior pregnancies, and high blood pressure. If you have risk factors for GD, your doctor may skip the one-hour test and recommend the OGTT from the start. Gestational diabetes can cause pregnancies to be more difficult. Your baby has a higher risk of being larger than the average size, being born premature, and having a higher risk for type 2 diabetes in the far future. That is why you should eat a balanced diet and follow your doctor’s instructions. Routine prenatal appointments are even more important to attend if you have GD.
In Conclusion
Blood glucose levels are measured during the second trimester of pregnancy to help detect gestational diabetes mellitus. Two screenings are used during pregnancy to detect diabetes. Unfortunately, food can affect the results. It is important to know what to eat before the glucose tests to get accurate results. Speak to your healthcare provider before the test if you have any concerns or questions.
