What Are Acceptable Levels For Gestational Diabetes

What Are Acceptable Levels For Gestational Diabetes ?

The object of a blood glucose test is to measure the amount of sugar, or glucose, in the blood. Glucose is the body’s primary source of energy and is derived from carbohydrate foods. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas which is released into the blood to cope with a rising level of glucose. The purpose of insulin is to ensure the proper use of glucose by the body’s cells.

Usually after a meal the blood glucose level rises. To compensate for this, the pancreas releases insulin which compensates, and ensures the blood-glucose level does not rise too high. If the level remains high for a lengthy period of time it results in damage to the eyes, nerves, kidneys and blood vessels.

There are four common testing methods:

Fasting blood sugar (FBS) is usually the first check for diabetes. It measures the blood glucose on a stomach empty for at least 8 hours.
Postprandial blood sugar measures the glucose level 2 hours after a meal.
Random blood sugar (RBS) measures the blood glucose at any time of the day. This compares the variation at different times of the day. A marked variation is a sign of a problem, as in a healthy person the level is more or less stable. This is also known as a casual blood glucose test.
Oral glucose tolerance test; a series of blood glucose measurements taken after drinking a sweet liquid containing glucose. This test is the one used to diagnose, or rule out, Gestational diabetes.
An acceptable level of blood glucose at random is 70-125 mg/dL (less than 7.0 mmol/L)

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What Are Acceptable Levels For Gestational Diabetes