Because of the significant negative effects for both mother and child current standard treatment in pregnancy calls for a screening test after the 1st trimester. Women who are greater risk for gestational diabetes will undergo a 5 hour glucose tolerance test. The screening test is a simple blood test that is drawn to look for the presence of too much sugar in the blood. The five hour glucose tolerance test (GTT) is a much more complex test. (63)
During a five hour GTT the woman is given between 8-16 ounce of a high sugar drink and then urine and blood is tested at 30 minute intervals for the next 5 hours. This test looks at how the woman’s body handles the extra sugar load, how much insulin is secreted and how much sugar is left in the blood stream and spills into the urine.