QOD: How do I know my gestational diabetes is gone after I deliver?
You should undergo a 2-hour glucose tolerance test when you are 6-12 weeks postpartum. This is a very important test!
Up to 50 percent of women who have had gestational diabetes (GDM) will go on to develop Type 2 diabetes, so it is important to make sure your GDM has resolved after you deliver. Your doctor or midwife should screen you between 6-12 weeks postpartum by having you do a 2-hour glucose tolerance test. With this test, you will need to be fasting and then drink a 75 gram sugar drink. Your blood will then be checked when you are fasting and 1 and 2 hours after you drank your drink.
Make sure your primary care doctor knows if you have a history of GDM, as you should be screened every 3 years for diabetes because of this, regardless of your age. In addition, if you are overweight or obese, increased exercise can help prevent you from going on to develop Type 2 diabetes.
Reviewed by Dr. Jen Lincoln, April 2020
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