Glucose Screening Test – elevated level?

I just got my results from my Glucose Tolerance Test and they said it was elevated, at 152. I have to go for the 3 hour test tomorrow. They told me they consider anything above 120 to be high. What are the chances I could have gestational diabetes? I am 32 years old, 27 weeks pregnant, I have so far gained 19 lbs in this pregnancy – I was not overweight before I got pregnant.
If I did have gestational diabetes and I caught a cold or even worse the flu would this make matters worse in terms of complications for me? I am extremely worried. Any advice is appreciated.

You really can’t tell your risk of having Gestational Diabetes by the results of your 1 hour glucose test. It is not uncommon for the results to be elevated with the 1 hour test. The only thing this indicates is the need to further test. Most women go on to have a normal result from their fasting 3 hour glucose test. About 5-8% of women develop Gestational Diabetes. If it does turn out that you have developed it, there won’t be any additional complications if you come down with a cold, flu or virus. Gestational Diabetes is not an immune system problem. It is understandable to be worried over the unknown. However, if you do have Gestational Diabetes there are many things you can do to assure the healthiest pregnancy and baby. Gestational Diabetes occurs because pregnancy hormones make your cells insulin resistant. When a person eats a carbohydrate containing food, the glucose from the food, which our bodies use for energy, is released in to the blood stream. From there, the glucose joins with insulin which helps it get into our cells. In the case of people with any form of diabetes, there is a problem with insulin. For pregnant women, the need for extra insulin to help the glucose get out of the blood system and into the cells is usually achieved by the pancreas just manufacturing additional insulin. For women who develop Gestational Diabetes, there is a problem with that process so the glucose does not get moved from blood to cells so more glucose than is healthy remains in the blood. Often times eating in a specific way, with special attention to consistent intake of carbs as well eating carbs in moderation, is enough to keep blood sugar (glucose) levels managed. Combined with testing blood glucose levels with a monitor, many women can go on to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Sometimes women have to add insulin to their daily routine. One of the risks to babies when mom has Gestational Diabetes is gaining more than average amounts of weight that is distributed unevenly around the upper body. This can make it difficult to deliver vaginally. Women with Gestational Diabetes typically have increased prenatal care to monitor blood sugar levels as well as the baby’s growth. It does take some diligence and hard work to keep healthy when you have Gestational Diabetes, but it can be done. I was pregnant with our 4th baby and was 38 years old when I developed Gestational Diabetes. I knew nothing about it at the time and was very worried about what it meant. However, as I read the information given to me by my doctor plus talked with the diabetic counselor, I felt much more knowledgeable about what I was dealing with as well as understanding what I could do to keep my baby and me healthy. My baby was born at 41 weeks weighing 6 pounds 14 ounces. We both had several glucose tests (just the finger prick variety) in the hospital and everything was fine. In most cases, there is no sign of Gestational Diabetes after the baby is born, actually most specifically after the placenta is expelled. The placenta is what produces the pregnancy hormones, so once that is out, the cells begin to quite quickly go back to normal. One risk to women who have had Gestational Diabetes is the higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes later in life. My “baby” is now almost 12 and I am 50. I have Glucose Intolerance, a pre-diabetic condition, so I am back to eating a specific meal plan and monitoring my blood glucose levels this time in an attempt to ward of Type 2 Diabetes as long as possible. While being overweight can increase your risk of developing Gestational Diabetes, it is not unusual for women of average weight to also develop it.

Embarazo 24 semanas – Pregnancy 24 weeks