Lab Tests

Between 24-28 weeks, one is tested for gestational diabetes, which affects 2-5 percent of pregnant women. My nurse recommended going as close to 28 weeks as possible, but I will be out of town at that time so I went to the lab today. To start the test you have to drink 50 grams of glucose, orange flavored and similar to a flat soda. Because the post has an insane number of expectant mothers the lab frequently runs low on this solution, so I didn't have to drink the full amount as they were attempting to conserve. Reading about the test this morning, I found that some women experience nausea and headaches after drinking the glucose. I explained to the tech that I have hypermesis gravidarum and she was a little worried I would be sick, but said only a very few women ever vomit. I drank the solution as slow as I could (given my 5 minute time limit) and hoped for the best. I felt slightly nauseas afterwards, but nothing too terrible. I did experience a headache, though, which made the one hour wait in the lobby (filled with crying children) creep by. After 60 minutes I had to go back to the lab tech to have my blood drawn. At my next appointment at the end of this month I will find out my results. If the test results are positive I will have to go back for a three hour test, but only 1/3 women who test positive actually have gestational diabetes. Hopefully the results are negative!