Quick Facts
- Sample: Blood
- Fasting: No fasting required (specimen drawn 1 hour after a 50-gram glucose challenge)
- Turnaround: 1–2 business days. May take longer based on weather, holidays, or lab delays.
What This Test Measures
This test measures your blood glucose level exactly one hour after drinking a 50-gram glucose solution, known as the Glucose Challenge Test. It is a screening test, not a diagnostic test, and it uses a single blood specimen collected at the one-hour mark. No fasting is required beforehand.
This test reflects how your body responds to a glucose load at one specific point in time. It does not measure longer-term glycemic exposure, and it is distinct from the 100-gram three-hour oral glucose tolerance test that may be used afterward to confirm a diagnosis of gestational diabetes.
Benefits
- Screens for gestational diabetes using a simple one-hour process.
- Requires no fasting, making it easy to schedule.
- Offers a convenient, low-cost alternative to office-based testing.
- Provides results in as little as one to two days.
- Supports routine screening recommended during pregnancy.
Who Is This Test For?
- Pregnant women seeking routine gestational diabetes screening.
- Women between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy.
- Those who prefer a convenient, low-cost testing option.
- Women whose provider has recommended a Glucose Challenge Test.
How It Works
- Order Your Test Online
- Visit a Local Lab
- Get Results Online
FAQ
1. Do I need to fast or prepare for this test?
No fasting is required for this test. Your blood specimen will be drawn one hour after you drink a 50-gram glucose challenge solution.
2. How quickly will I get results?
Results are typically available within 1 to 2 days, though this may take longer based on weather, holiday, or lab delays.
3. What can my results tell me?
Your one-hour glucose reading shows how your body responded to the glucose challenge at that single point in time. Elevated results may prompt your provider to recommend a 100-gram three-hour oral glucose tolerance test to confirm whether gestational diabetes is present. This screening result on its own does not establish a diagnosis.
4. What factors can affect my results?
The timing of your blood draw relative to when you finish the glucose solution can influence your result, since the sample must be collected at the one-hour mark. Individual differences in how your body processes glucose can also affect the reading, which is part of why this screening step exists.
5. How do I interpret the results?
Interpreting a one-hour glucose challenge result depends on where your value falls relative to the cutoff used by your lab, along with your overall pregnancy history and any other findings your provider is tracking. An elevated result is a signal for further evaluation, not a confirmed diagnosis, and a result within range does not eliminate the possibility of gestational diabetes developing or being detected later. Your healthcare provider is best positioned to place your result in the context of your full pregnancy care.
Disclaimer: Reference ranges may vary by laboratory. Listed ranges are general guidelines and may differ from those used by the performing lab. Always consult your healthcare provider for interpretation.
6. What should I do if my results are abnormal?
Share an elevated result with your healthcare provider so they can determine next steps. This often involves further evaluation, such as a follow-up glucose tolerance test, to help clarify what the elevated screening result means. An abnormal screening result does not by itself confirm gestational diabetes or call for any specific treatment.
Pre-test preparation
No fasting is required prior to this test. Your specimen will be drawn one hour after you drink a 50-gram glucose challenge solution.
