Pregnancy is an extraordinary metabolic transformation. As your baby grows in the second trimester, the placenta produces high levels of hormones (such as Human Placental Lactogen and Cortisol) designed to ensure your baby gets plenty of sugar for rapid organ development. These placental hormones naturally make the mother slightly insulin resistant.
In most mothers, the pancreas compensates by producing more insulin. But in about 15% to 20% of Indian pregnancies, the pancreas cannot keep up. Blood sugar climbs, leading to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). Because GDM has virtually zero outward symptoms, every pregnant woman is screened between weeks 24 and 28 using the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT / GTT).
Why Uncontrolled Gestational Diabetes Puts Baby at Risk
Glucose crosses the placenta freely, but maternal insulin does not. If the mother has high blood sugar, the baby's tiny pancreas goes into overdrive to process the extra sugar, turning it into fat. This leads to:
- Macrosomia (Baby Over 4 kg): Making normal delivery difficult and increasing emergency C-section rates.
- Neonatal Hypoglycemia: After birth, when the umbilical cord is cut, the baby’s high insulin causes their blood sugar to crash dangerously.
- Polyhydramnios: Excess amniotic fluid causing preterm labor risks.
How the 75g Single-Step DIPSI / WHO OGTT Works
- You arrive at the lab or our phlebotomist arrives at your home after an overnight 8 to 10-hour fast.
- A Fasting Blood Sample is drawn.
- You drink a glass of water containing exactly 75 grams of anhydrous glucose within 5 minutes (it tastes like very sweet lemonade).
- You sit quietly without eating, drinking tea, or walking briskly.
- Blood samples are drawn exactly 1 hour and 2 hours later.
| Sample Timing | GDM Diagnostic Cutoff (mg/dL) |
|---|---|
| Fasting | ≥ 92 mg/dL |
| 1 Hour Post-Glucose | ≥ 180 mg/dL |
| 2 Hours Post-Glucose | ≥ 153 mg/dL |
Note: If even a single value meets or exceeds these cutoffs, gestational diabetes is diagnosed, and your gynaecologist will guide you on a simple, healthy meal plan.
BookMyPatho provides comfortable, patient-centered prenatal GTT screening at your home across Delhi NCR.
Recommended Lab Tests & Packages to Book at Home
If you or a loved one are experiencing these symptoms, you can book these diagnostic tests directly with BookMyPatho. Our trained phlebotomists collect samples from your doorstep across Delhi NCR with digital reports delivered within 12 hours:
- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT / 75g GTT): 3-point maternal screening diagnosing gestational diabetes between weeks 24 and 28.
- HbA1c & Fasting Glucose: Baseline maternal glycemic control assessment.
- Urine Routine & Microscopic: Screens for glycosuria and asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.
Have questions or need assistance selecting the right package? Call or WhatsApp our Delhi NCR health desk at +91-8700227153.
