When all this works properly, the body quickly converts food to stored fuel when eating, and when not eating quickly converts the stored fuel to glucose thus providing your baby with the needed fuel for growth. Gestational Diabetes Overview During pregnancy, the hormones produced by the placenta that provide food for your growing baby may cause your blood sugar levels to rise. These hormones may cause the baby to grow too large, a condition known as macrosomia. The larger the baby, the greater the risk for a difficult delivery. Controlling the blood sugar level decreases the problem of macrosomia, and gestational diabetes may be controlled by diet alone or by a combination of diet and insulin.
Some care providers test all pregnant women for gestational diabetes.
A one hour glucola, or glucose tolerance test, is done. You eat normally the day of the test. At the office or laboratory you are given a very sweet drink. One hour after finishing the drink, blood is drawn. The blood is sent to the laboratory and tested for a glucose level.