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Life Guide U.S. essentials
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At 24 weeks of pregnancy or later, get screened once for gestational diabetes, and don't begrudge the sugar drink

  • Moderate value
  • Evidence A
  • Buys life
  • For: Pregnant or trying
  • Costs a little
  • Takes minutes
  • No willpower

In plain words

Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that first appears after you become pregnant. After 24 weeks, half a morning, one sugary drink and a few blood draws can find it. If it is not found and not managed, the risks of an overly large baby, a difficult birth, a cesarean section, preeclampsia and low blood sugar in the newborn all go up.

Cost

A few dozen to a little over 100 CNY. You go fasting, have blood drawn several times, and it takes up half a morning.

What you get

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force gives a grade B recommendation: for pregnant women without symptoms (who haven't noticed anything wrong), screen for gestational diabetes at 24 weeks of pregnancy or later. Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that first appears after pregnancy begins. If only one screening is done, it should be at 24 weeks or later. Whether screening before 24 weeks is good or not, the Task Force concluded that the current evidence is insufficient to judge the benefits and harms (grade I). Gestational diabetes left unmanaged raises the risk of these: macrosomia (an overly large baby), a difficult birth, cesarean delivery, preeclampsia and low blood sugar in the newborn.

Notes

Among those found to have it, most can bring blood sugar under control with changes in diet and exercise; only a minority need insulin. Don't skip this test out of fear that you will be told you need injections. You also need to recheck your blood sugar after delivery: people who have had gestational diabetes have a clearly higher risk of type 2 diabetes later.

Evidence grade
A : Specific numbers from meta-analyses, large cohorts or randomized trials; for law and policy, the statute or official text.
Sources
  1. US Preventive Services Task Force (2021). Gestational Diabetes: Screening. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/gestational-diabetes-screening

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 27, tip 6. This section is about health and medicines. It is general information, not a substitute for a doctor’s diagnosis or prescription. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer