About 2 - 10% of pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes. Since women with gestational diabetes have a higher risk of miscarriage, premature births, and birth defects, diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes are important.
The International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) recommends that all pregnant women be screened for gestational diabetes at 24 to 28 weeks gestation using a modified glucose tolerance test.
The screening is performed using a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). A fasting blood glucose is collected. The patient then drinks a 75-gram dose of glucose solution. Blood specimens are collected one and two hours after consumption of the glucose beverage. Be sure to label tubes as fasting, one-hour, and two-hour. You may also be required to put the exact time of collection on the tube label.
