Screening time for gestational diabetes

Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
Updated on May 30, 2025
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For women without high-risk factors, the general practice is to conduct a 75g glucose tolerance test between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy, measuring fasting blood glucose, blood glucose one hour after glucose ingestion, and blood glucose two hours after glucose ingestion. The fasting blood glucose should not exceed 5.1 mmol/L, blood glucose one hour after glucose ingestion should not exceed 10.0 mmol/L, and blood glucose two hours after glucose ingestion should not exceed 8.5 mmol/L. For women with high-risk factors, it is advisable to screen for blood glucose levels during the first prenatal visit to detect gestational diabetes early, control blood sugar levels, and reduce the occurrence of complications. Who are the women considered to be at high risk? Those who have a history of gestational diabetes, history of delivering a macrosomic infant, are obese or have polycystic ovary syndrome, have a family history of diabetes among first-degree relatives, are found to have positive fasting and ketone bodies early in pregnancy, have a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriages, have a history of fetal anomalies and stillbirths, and those who have a history of delivering newborns with respiratory distress syndrome. These women need to undergo diabetes screening after becoming aware of the pregnancy to detect any abnormality in blood sugar levels early and treat accordingly.

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Endocrinology
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Care for diabetic foot

The first fundamental step is monitoring blood glucose; good control of blood glucose levels is essential for the effective management of diabetic foot problems. Secondly, attention must be paid to the protection of the wound. It's crucial to keep the wound clean, perform regular cleaning and disinfection, and when necessary, debride necrotic tissue thoroughly. For instance, if there is a sinus tract or deep ulceration, it is essential to open the wound and ensure drainage, removing all necrotic tissue inside. Thirdly, footwear choice is critical for patients with diabetic foot; it is important to wear shoes that are loose fitting, moderately soft yet firm, and capable of evenly distributing pressure across the footbed. There are shoes specially designed for those with diabetic foot, and these can be custom-made. Other considerations include maintaining good blood pressure control and ensuring adequate nutrition to support wound healing, including sufficient protein intake, which plays a vital role in promoting wound repair.

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Written by Zhang Lu
Obstetrics
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How to Control Gestational Diabetes

During pregnancy, if the pregnant woman has diabetes, it is essential to control blood sugar reasonably. Otherwise, high blood sugar can seriously affect both the fetus and the pregnant woman, and in severe cases, it can cause diabetic ketoacidosis in the pregnant woman and fetal death in utero. Diabetes in pregnant women can be intervened in the following ways: First, through dietary control, eat less sugary foods, such as sweets, pastries, and fruits. Second, it is necessary to be moderately active during pregnancy, taking a walk or maintaining 5,000 to 10,000 steps daily, which helps in the consumption of glucose in the body. Third, if the above two methods are ineffective, insulin should be used to control diabetes.

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Written by Zhao Li Li
Obstetrics
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What should pregnant women with diabetes eat?

If a pregnant woman has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy, it is still necessary to decide what food to eat based on the specific blood sugar levels. If the current blood sugar level is relatively stable, she can follow a diabetic diet, eat smaller meals more frequently, and consume more fresh fruits and vegetables. It's important to avoid foods that cause high blood sugar, and it is essential to walk or engage in appropriate exercise 30 minutes after eating to help metabolize the blood sugar. However, if the blood sugar remains high and does not decrease significantly, insulin might be needed to lower the blood sugar levels.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
1min 11sec home-news-image

Gestational diabetes symptoms

Gestational diabetes refers to the abnormal glucose tolerance that occurs during pregnancy, typically characterized by mild, asymptomatic elevated blood sugar levels without obvious symptoms such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, and frequent urination. However, when blood sugar levels are high, symptoms typical of diabetes such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, and frequent urination may occur. If excessive amniotic fluid, a large fetus, or recurrent infections of the external genitalia occur during pregnancy, it is important to be vigilant for the presence of diabetes. It is generally recommended that patients undergo the OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerance Test) during the mid-stage of pregnancy to confirm whether gestational diabetes is present. Women's blood sugar levels generally return to normal after childbirth, but the risk of developing diabetes later increases significantly. Therefore, patients with gestational diabetes should be screened for diabetes 6-12 weeks postpartum and monitored over the long term.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
1min 22sec home-news-image

Symptoms of gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes refers to abnormal glucose tolerance that occurs during pregnancy. It usually involves only mild, asymptomatic hyperglycemia without the typical symptoms of diabetes such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss. However, significant increases in blood sugar can lead to symptoms such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss. It is important to be vigilant for gestational diabetes in patients who exhibit symptoms such as excessive amniotic fluid, a large fetus, or recurrent urinary tract infections. Therefore, it is generally recommended for pregnant patients to complete an OGTT (Oral Glucose Tolerance Test) by the 24th week of pregnancy to confirm whether they have gestational diabetes. After childbirth, blood sugar levels in women with gestational diabetes generally return to normal, but the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future significantly increases. Therefore, patients with gestational diabetes should undergo diabetes screening 6 to 12 weeks postpartum and be monitored over the long term.