If you’re pregnant or have recently had a baby you know something about blood sugar testing. All pregnant women typically undergo a 1-hour glucose tolerance test (GTT) at the start of their 7th month but sometimes earlier if they’re at risk to develop diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes). If this test shows a high blood sugar level, a follow-up test called a 3-hour GTT is done. You are diagnosed with gestational diabetes if the 3-hour test is high; a normal result means you don’t have diabetes.

If you’ve had gestational diabetes you’re also at an increased risk to develop diabetes in the decade following your pregnancy, and to have gestational diabetes in future pregnancies.

After baby is born

If you have gestational diabetes, you should have a 2-hour GTT at 6-12 weeks postpartum to make sure you’re no longer considered to have diabetes. Repeat blood sugar testing every 3 years if your blood sugar levels remain normal. The American Diabetic Association recommends getting tested every year if your blood sugars are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes, a condition called prediabetes.
With prediabetes, you’re at a critical health crossroads as you can delay or even prevent the onset of diabetes by switching to eating healthy foods in moderate amounts and getting regular physical activity most days of the week.

Living with diabetes

What if your postpartum blood sugar test is abnormal? In that case, you’ll be told you have type 2 diabetes and will need to have continuing care. These days, with rising rates of overweight, more people than ever before have type 2, including children and teens. The numbers of women who have diabetes before pregnancy, about 1 in 100, are also increasing.

If you already have diabetes you can have a healthy pregnancy and baby if you work with your healthcare provider to closely monitor your blood sugars before and during pregnancy. High blood sugars put you at increased risk for miscarriage, stillbirth and having a baby born with birth defects, such as heart and spinal cord defects.

If you’re considering pregnancy, take at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day for at least 3 months before trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy to prevent brain and spinal cord defects in your baby.