The symptoms of gestational diabetes, like fatigue, nausea, and increased thirst and urination, are often not noticed, as they are common during pregnancy.[1] For this reason, screening for the signs of gestational diabetes is important.
High blood sugar is the main sign of gestational diabetes. It is detected by blood tests that measure the amount of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. There is also a blood test that can measure the amount of glucose attached to red blood cells. This is called glycated hemoglobin or hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and a high HbA1c is another sign of gestational diabetes. Since red blood cells survive in the bloodstream for about 2 to 3 months, testing the amount of sugar attached to them provides an indication of blood glucose concentrations over the past 2 to 3 months.[1]