Between 24-28 weeks of pregnancy, your healthcare provider will order a diagnostic test called a glucose tolerance test. Traditionally, this is where you will consume an orange colored sugary drink. You will then wait an hour and get your blood drawn. The blood test will show whether or not you have gestational diabetes mellitus (or GDM for short).
But is this REALLY the best method? Are there safer alternatives? Let’s discuss.
Why does blood sugar increase during pregnancy?
When you’re pregnant, your body produces an organ called a placenta which attaches to your uterus. This organ helps your baby filter waste products and provide oxygen and nourishment.
The placenta also makes many hormones during pregnancy, such as estrogen, cortisol and human placental lactogen. These hormones can cause insulin resistance, making it hard for glucose to enter into an expecting mama’s cells. When glucose can’t enter the cells, it stays in the bloodstream, making blood glucose levels rise.
What are some complications of gestational diabetes?
Pregnant moms who have gestational diabetes are categorized as high risk patients. Pregnant women who have been diagnosed with GDM in a previous pregnancy are more likely to develop GDM in subsequent pregnancies. They are also more likely to develop Type II diabetes later in life. Contrary to popular belief, you can also develop GDM after previous pregnancies where you did not. Some complications of GDM include:
- Baby being born with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Large birth weight (macrosomia)
- Birth injury or defects
- Preeclampsia
What are the risk factors for GDM?
Some risk factors include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Having a history of GDM
- Increased maternal age
- Family history of diabetes
- Having high blood pressure
What is the glucose tolerance test?
In your second trimester, or earlier if you have a history of GDM in your family, your provider will order an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). You will be instructed to drink 50 grams of sugar in the form of an orange glucose drink called Glucola within a few minutes. Then, after one hour, your provider will have your blood drawn to check your blood sugar levels. If your level is above a certain point, another OGTT will be scheduled on a different day. The second OGTT will have a 100 gram drink and blood sugar will be measured every hour for three hours.
What’s wrong with the current method of testing?
50 grams of straight sugar is way TOO MUCH sugar to consume in one sitting, especially in a fasted state. While this method may be convenient for health care providers, it certainly can’t be the most reliable way. In fact, research has shown that test results can be skewed and generate a false positive test.
Glucola Ingredients
There is an extensive list of ingredients in glucola that are questionable, such as:
- soybean oil
- food dyes
- citric acid
- sodium benzoate
- artificial flavors
- artificial colors
- food starch
- high fructose corn syrup
- natural flavoring
- brominated vegetable oil (BVO)
BVO is used particularly in drinks to keep the citrus flavor out from separating with the soda or beverage you’re drinking. BVO is actually banned from use as a food additive in over 100 countries, including the European Union and Japan (but not the U.S…shocker). This is because BVO’s main ingredient, bromine, has been linked to multiple health concerns, such as organ system damage, birth defects, and hearing loss.
Even if you happen to get a dye free version of Glucola, you still need to worry about high fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes. It begs the question: why would you drink something that has been linked to the very thing you’re testing and hoping to not have?
Can I opt out of the glucose tolerance test?
Just like every health decision, you have options! Do NOT let your provider pressure you to make choices that you are uncomfortable with.
Here are some alternatives to the OGTT:
- Have your Hemoglobin A1c tested early in pregnancy. Hemoglobin A1c is a three month average of your blood sugar, and is a better indicator of how your body has been handling glucose than one test will show.
- You can eat real food! Eat a balanced diet and test your glucose at home randomly. You can purchase a cheap glucose monitor on Amazon that comes with strips and lancets. From there, you can check your glucose periodically at home and write your results in a journal for your provider to review.
If you still wish to do a glucose tolerance test but just want to avoid the Glucola beverage, you can do that too!
Instead of Glucola, you can:
- Ask your provider for dye free jelly beans, or purchase them yourself
- Eat a balanced breakfast
- Drink organic juice or smoothies
As long as there are 50 grams of glucose in your alternative that you are consuming in a specific amount of time, your provider should have no problem accepting these alternatives.
Conclusion
GDM is a serious health condition that should be on your radar during pregnancy. However, the current ways that the United States tests for gestational diabetes can be improved. Drinking 50 grams of glucose in five minutes can lead to unwanted side effects, such as feeling nauseous, dizzy, tired or bloated. All side effects a pregnant woman might be way too familiar with. This can not be the only way that we are testing.
When you are interviewing birth providers, don’t be afraid to ask what their protocols are for testing gestational diabetes. And know that if you are uncomfortable, you can walk away and choose a different provider that is more in line with your beliefs.
If you like this post, be sure to check out How To Pick A High Quality Prenatal and my article on the Best Bedtime Snacks For Gestational Diabetes!
Now I want to Hear From You:
Did you have to drink Glucola? How did you feel?
Would you do anything differently in your next pregnancy?
Let me know in the comments below!
Sources:
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=90&ContentID=P02444
https://robynobrien.com/mountain-dew-ingredient-banned-100-countries/
