Can I skip the sugar screening if I am not gaining weight during pregnancy? When and how many weeks should I do the sugar screening?

Glucose screening is different from Down syndrome screening. Glucose screening is for gestational diabetes and examines the mother, while Down syndrome screening is for the baby to check whether it is deformed. So if you are not overweight during pregnancy, can you skip the glucose screening? When is the glucose screening usually done?

Can I skip the sugar screening if I am not gaining weight during pregnancy?

No, sugar screening is not based on weight, and it is recommended for all pregnant mothers!

The sugar screening test is to screen the blood sugar level in the pregnant mother to understand whether the pregnant mother has high blood sugar. High blood sugar after pregnancy is very harmful to both the fetus and the pregnant mother, and pregnant mothers with gestational diabetes during pregnancy have an increased probability of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.

In addition, older pregnant women (≥35 years old), those who are overweight, those with a family history of diabetes, and those who like to eat sweets are more likely to have high blood sugar.

Therefore, regardless of whether you have gained weight after pregnancy, it is recommended to do a sugar screening.

When and how many weeks should the sugar screening be done?

Sugar screening is usually done at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy.

2 weeks before the test, that is, 22 to 26 weeks, the specific time is subject to the hospital where the test is conducted. Try not to eat or eat less foods that are high in fat and sugar, including fruits with high sugar content, and eat more vegetables to avoid affecting the test results.

Generally, sugar screening requires you to stop eating and drinking within 12 hours before the test, so it is best not to eat after 8 pm before the test and drink less water.

The sugar screen is to dissolve 50 grams of glucose in water, which takes 5 minutes to drink, and blood can be drawn one hour after drinking, so you must hurry up. For example, start drinking at 9:00 and finish drinking at 9:05, so you can have blood drawn at 10:05.

Effects of high blood sugar during pregnancy

Pregnant women with high blood sugar levels after pregnancy should control their blood sugar levels in time. In severe cases, they may need to terminate the pregnancy early.

Dry mouth: Pregnant mothers are often thirsty, urinate frequently, and have dry skin;

Excessive amniotic fluid: The incidence of excessive amniotic fluid in pregnant women with high blood sugar is about 10 times higher than that of ordinary pregnant women;

Birth of a giant baby: Due to the high blood sugar of the mother, the fetus is in this abnormal environment for a long time, which can easily lead to excessive fetal development;

Premature birth and miscarriage: If blood sugar is high in early pregnancy, it will affect the development of the embryo and cause delayed embryo development;

Neonatal diseases: After the baby is born, it is easy to develop neonatal hypoglycemia and respiratory distress syndrome.