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Glucose 1 hour test when pregnant: To fast or not to fast?

by Jane on April 15, 2009 · 28 comments

in Doctor, Mother to be, Pregnancy Info

Did you have to fast when pregnant before your glucose 1 hour test?  I do.Quick question: Were you required to fast before your glucose 1 hr test when you were pregnant?  

My appointment is bright and early (8:30 am) and I was told to not have food or water after midnight.I  I’ve never had this glucose test before, so I thought that fasting before it was the norm.

Then I was reading about it on a forum earlier and it seems like everyone else’s doctor told them to eat normal before having the test done so that it would be more accurate.  

Just curious on what your doctor told you to do before the test and if you pass or failed this first one.

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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Tori M. 04.15.09 at 2:03 pm

I didn’t have to fast, but after I drank the sweet drink thing they gave me, I could only have water until they drew my blood. I think it depends on the doctor. GL!

2 Judith Brown-Fonger 04.15.09 at 2:05 pm

I was told that I could eat normally before the test. But, once I drank the “glucola” I couldn’t have anything, including water.

3 jay 04.15.09 at 2:09 pm

I had to fast 14 hours before, and after the test I was allowed only water. But having said that, I had to have a three hour test….hope yours is ok! ;o)

4 Claudia 04.15.09 at 2:11 pm

My doctor told me to fast…I thought the results were more accurate that way, but a little bit of googling says that you don’t need to fast so now I don’t know lol I honestly think the results would be more accurate if you fast because theres a less chance of you testing positive. You don’t wanna go back for the 3-hour test lol so I think the best bet is to just fast like the doc said.

5 Marianne 04.15.09 at 2:11 pm

I had to fast, and my appointment was first thing in the morning. However, my friend’s appointment was in the late afternoon, and she was told to eat a low-carb diet.

I was allowed a small cup of water after the disgusting glucose drink.

6 Emily 04.15.09 at 2:11 pm

I didn’t have to fast at all, but I also heard of quite a few who did.

7 Jennifer 04.15.09 at 2:15 pm

I had to fast for it with both of my pregnancies. I think it depends on the doctor and what they choose to do. I did however go eat a big breakfast right after the test. So not cool to have a very pregnant lady not eat! Good luck with the test!

8 Damselfly 04.15.09 at 2:21 pm

My test wasn’t until 3:45! So there’s no way I could have fasted. I pretty much avoided all carbs, though.

9 jennsquared 04.15.09 at 2:41 pm

I didn’t have to fast and I had this done way early because my prenatal screening came back with high sugar level. I’m only 12 weeks now and I did it couple of weeks back. I had a big glass of lemonade and at least a dozen of starburst couple hours before the test (last minute find on testing center that opens later than 5pm) and I passed.

10 Callista 04.15.09 at 2:41 pm

I had to fast. I didn’t realize not everyone did.

11 Crysi 04.15.09 at 3:14 pm

I ate normally and I flunked. It sucked since then I had to do the 3 hour test, which I passed. I’d fast, but make sure you bring a high protein snack with you. My doctor hasn’t even talked about the glucose test this time… thought that was kinda weird.

12 Jessi 04.15.09 at 3:27 pm

I had to fast. It was terrible since I still had morning sickness then. Blah…I passed.

13 Shari 04.15.09 at 4:17 pm

I have had gestational diabetes with all three of my pregnancies. I was tested at 14 weeks on my first pregnancy and told to fast from 10:oo pm till the test in the morning. We just assumed I was diabetic with each pregnancy afterwards, which was a safe bet based on my home tests. But where we go to test is the hospital so you could arrive at any time you want. Basically this test gives you a lot of sugar and you rates should be below 140 one hour after the test. So I would say if you ate before hand and then took drink afterwards your body may not process all the sugars in time. Fasting blood sugars need to be below 105. Then 2 hours after a meal needs to be 120 or lower. When diabetic you are only allowed 45 grams of carbohydrates per meal to keep your numbers down. So if you eat before the test and then have the drink, they are only setting you up to fail in my book. The drink should be all you need to see if you are diabetic or not. And the hour after the test, I was made to sit there and not eat or drink. I craved water like crazy. When I failed that test, I then went in for the 3 hour test, which is 10 times worse than the original test. I was so sick and wanted water so bad. Water helps flush sugar from your system, thus why I was not allowed to drink any during the test.

14 Leah 04.15.09 at 5:58 pm

I was just told nothing sugary!

15 Virginia 04.15.09 at 6:15 pm

I was told to fast and when I got there I had to drink the orange drink and then could only have water until they drew my blood. I recommend taking a book or something to do with you because for me that hour went really slow.

16 MVP 04.15.09 at 6:23 pm

I’m not supposed to eat before I go. That’s I thought why they do it so early in the a.m.

17 T with Honey 04.15.09 at 7:20 pm

I was told to fast and followed doctor’s orders for the 1 hour during my first pregnancy and failed that test. For the 3 hour you have to fast but luckily I passed that one.

I’m due to take the 1 hour test this weekend and the doc didn’t say a thing about fasting. I’m seriously thinking about not fasting this time.

18 Tracey 04.15.09 at 8:43 pm

Last time I had the test the first thing in the morning and I was told to fast. This time I’m having the test around lunch time (1:00 tomorrow) and no-one said anything about asking, in fact when I asked whether I should fast the PA didn’t seem to know. I’ll be skipping lunch just to be safe.

19 Ally 04.16.09 at 12:04 am

I didn’t have to fast, at least no one told me I had to. But I knew I was gonna drink a lot for the test, so I made sure my bladder was empty.

20 The Mom 04.16.09 at 12:11 am

I did not have to fast for my one hour test, which I failed. With the three you are told to fast. When was doing my research on the whole thing after I feeled I learned that you really should fast to get an accurate reading.

21 DispatchNinja 04.16.09 at 8:31 am

I was told I could eat normally as long as it was nothing sugary

22 HDL 04.16.09 at 8:48 am

As a researcher, I know that normal protocol for experiments is to do an overnight fast prior to a glucose tolerance test. It allows for more precision in the results. You can’t really compare test results from people who fasted before the test to results from people who ate normally (especially sugary, high-carb meals). I suspect some doctors don’t require fasting because they know just how uncomfortable it can be for a pregnant lady to go several hours without food. I understand that! Even pre-pregnancy, I hated going without breakfast before a blood draw for a standard cholesterol check. But it seems to me eating shortly before could interfere with the precision of the test and make it more likely that you have to go back for additional testing.

23 Haley 04.16.09 at 10:02 am

I had to fast…for both of mine. I’m starting to think that having 2 isn’t normal. But I had to do one in trimester one labs, as well as during my trimester three labs. But having blood drawn combined with not eating and then trying to process all of that sugar makes for one woozy prego lady…

24 Tracylynne 04.16.09 at 10:16 am

I was told to fast but that if I was starving I could have dry toast and water-my test is Monday

25 peta 04.20.09 at 5:27 am

Ok Finally I can chime in on this

I had my 24 week appointment today at the hospital, and am booked to have my GB on Friday. not only do I have to fast from 9 pm on wards on friday night, Starting tomorrow I have been put on a 3 day carb diet where i have to make sure i eat atleast 150 grams of carbs each day, Not only that there is no one hour test they only do the 3 hour test i am so bummed out about this, not only do I have eat carb rich food for 3 days I also have to take half a day of work just for the test, Has anyone else in Sydney Australia had to do this seems over kill to me

26 Dawn 04.23.09 at 3:34 pm

I agree with Shari that not fasting sets you up to fail. Fast if they told you to, but bring a snack as you’ll be starving afterward. If they told you not to fast, do so anyway, LOL, or at least stay away from carbs.

27 Deepa 11.10.09 at 10:07 am

Thanks Dawn, I wasn’t too sure if i should fast for my one hr test but i will now.

28 BabyWheeler 02.02.10 at 3:01 pm

I fasted for the glucos test at around 9 weeks. The drink has a particular amount of sugar and the test is to see how my body works with that sugar to see if I have GD. I passed hoorah! I have another test in a few weeks. This time I will be a little nervy because I have a history of diabetes in my family (not my mother though). And this is during a different eating habit. So we’ll see.

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