Pregnant women with symptoms of thirst, frequent urination or unexplained weight loss should have which of the following tests performed?

• A. tolbutamide test
• B. lactose tolerance test
• C. epinephrine tolerance test
• D. glucose tolerance test

Answer: (D)

Thirst, frequent urination, and unexplained weight loss in pregnancy point to elevated blood glucose. The glucose tolerance test is used because it directly measures how well the body handles a glucose load, revealing whether glucose tolerance is impaired or diabetes is present. In pregnancy, this test screens for gestational diabetes, which can affect both mother and baby if not identified and managed. The test typically involves drinking a glucose solution and checking blood glucose at specific intervals to see the body’s response. The other tests don’t assess how the body processes glucose: they evaluate different systems (insulin release in response to a drug, lactose digestion, or adrenal/epinephrine responses). So the glucose tolerance test is the appropriate choice.