Week 22 is when many people receive information about the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The test itself is simple, but it requires good planning of your day: it can take a while, and some facilities do it only in the morning. It is worth scheduling it ahead of time so it doesn't clash with work and other obligations.
What to do in week 22
- Set the test date and add it to your calendar.
- Ask about the referral and where the test is done.
- Confirm the preparation recommendations with the facility.
- Plan a day without other commitments and prepare something to eat after the test.
- Write down your questions about the result and when it will be discussed.
How to book the oral glucose tolerance test
Ask at your clinic who issues the referral and which unit you should go to with it. Reception will tell you which days the test is done and how far in advance you need to book. Also check whether there are eating and drinking recommendations before the test — you will get them from the facility, not from a search engine.
- Find out who issues the referral and where you should go with it.
- Ask at which hours the test is done and whether you need to arrive early.
- Find out how long the whole visit takes and plan a day without other commitments.
- Ask whether there are recommendations about meals and drinks before the test.
What to bring and how to organize test day
The test is tiring mainly because of all the waiting. Think of it as a few hours in a waiting room: bring something to read, charge your phone, and prepare something to eat for when the test is over. It is also worth planning a calm trip home.
- An ID document, your pregnancy notes, and the referral.
- A book, headphones, or something to read — there is a lot of waiting during the test.
- Water, if the facility allows drinking during the test.
- Something to eat for when the test is over.
- A phone with a charged battery and the facility's phone number.
After the test — what to do with the result
Ask when and where you will collect the result and whether the facility forwards it to your doctor. Book an appointment to discuss it rather than waiting for a phone call — the conversation is calmer with the document in front of you. Write down any doubts that come up in the meantime and bring them to the visit.
What to settle by phone before the test
One phone call to the unit saves a lot of stress on test day. Confirm the date, time, and address, and ask whether you need to bring the referral and an ID document. Find out whether you can leave the waiting room during the test and whether the facility asks you to come with a companion.
- Confirm the date, time, and exact location of the test.
- Ask which documents you should bring with you.
- Find out whether you can move around during the test.
- Check whether there is parking nearby or a convenient way to get there.
- Ask whether the result will be forwarded to your doctor automatically.
The test, your schedule, and work
The glucose tolerance test takes a few hours at the facility, so it is hard to combine with a normal working day. Plan it for a day when you don't need to be anywhere else, and let your employer know in advance. Also arrange transport so you don't have to drive after the test if you feel tired.
- Choose a day without other commitments and report your absence in advance.
- Plan transport both ways.
- Don't schedule anything requiring concentration after the test.
- Book the appointment to discuss the result as soon as you know the test date.
- Save the facility's number so you can call even on the way home.
Can other tests be done at the same time
Test day can be long, so it is worth asking the facility whether the other blood tests you have been ordered can be done the same day. Some draws can be combined, while others need a separate appointment because of preparation. Settle this with reception before the visit so you don't have to repeat a blood draw.
- Ask whether the other ordered tests can be done the same day.
- Find out whether any of them requires different preparation.
- Write down the order of draws and the hours, if the facility sets them.
- Ask for a single collection date for all results, if possible.
Tip
Don't plan anything important on test day — it can be tiring, and it's nice to head home without rushing once it's over.
When to contact a doctor
- • If you feel unwell after drinking the solution, tell the staff immediately.
- • If you faint, feel short of breath, or vomit heavily, inform the staff and don't stay alone.
- • If test day coincides with feeling worse than usual, call the facility and ask whether the test can be rescheduled.
- • Bleeding or fluid leaking from the vagina is a reason to call right away instead of waiting.
- • In a life-threatening situation, call 112.
When to call a doctor or midwife
- • Feeling unwell during the test — tell the staff.
- • Bleeding or fluid leaking from the vagina.
- • Persistent vomiting or difficulty keeping fluids down.
- • Fever or increasing weakness.
In a life-threatening situation call 112 or go to the nearest maternity hospital admission room — do not wait for a follow-up appointment.
Week 22 in detail
Week 22: how your baby is growing — Papaya
At twenty-two weeks your baby is about the size of a papaya (around 278 mm). The eyelids are still fused shut, but the lashes are growing. The pancreas is starting to produce hormones, and the lungs are practicing breathing movements, getting ready for life outside the womb.
Development at week 22
- Lashes have arrived; eyelids still fused.
- The pancreas produces hormones.
- The lungs practice breathing movements.
Tip
Midwife's tip: lung breathing movements are practice — your baby is 'breathing' amniotic fluid, preparing for that first breath.
Sources
- NHS — You and your baby at 22 weeks — www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/week-by-week/13-to-27-weeks/22-weeks-pregnant/
- Mayo Clinic — Pregnancy week by week — www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week
Week 22: tests and symptoms — glucose tolerance test (book for weeks 24–28)
Week twenty-two is the time to book your oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for weeks 24–28. Your growing uterus presses on the diaphragm — hence the breathlessness — and stretch marks may start appearing on your skin. Keep moisturizing and book the test.
The OGTT — what it is
- A 75 g glucose load test that detects gestational diabetes.
- Done between weeks 24 and 28 for every pregnant woman.
- Three glucose measurements: fasting, at 1 h, and at 2 h.
Stretch marks — good to know
- They depend mainly on genetics and how fast your skin stretches.
- Creams won't prevent them 100%, but moisturizing improves elasticity.
- Belly massage is a daily ritual worth keeping.
Tip
Midwife's tip: oil your belly every day — the massage improves elasticity and doubles as a moment of relaxation. And don't blame yourself for stretch marks: it's physiology, not your 'fault'.
Sources
- Polish Ministry of Health — perinatal care standard (OGTT) — www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie/standard-organizacyjny-opieki-okoloporodowej
- NHS — Gestational diabetes — www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/complications/gestational-diabetes/
Week 22: Lashes and brows — what you can do today
Week twenty-two is a good time to introduce a daily belly-moisturizing ritual. It's not just about your skin — it's also a moment of closeness with your baby. While you're at it, book the glucose test so you don't miss the window.
Your tasks for this week
- Moisturize your belly with oil or lotion every day.
- Book the OGTT for weeks 24–28.
- Practice deep breathing when you get breathless.
The moisturizing ritual
- A warm shower first, then oil onto damp skin.
- Massage in circular motions.
- Give it a few minutes every day.
Tip
Midwife's tip: pair moisturizing with 'chatting' to your bump — a quiet moment that strengthens your bond.
Sources
- NHS — You and your baby at 22 weeks — www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/week-by-week/13-to-27-weeks/22-weeks-pregnant/
Medical disclaimer
This article is educational in nature and does not replace advice from a doctor, midwife or other specialist. If in doubt, contact your attending physician.
This week is awaiting medical review: the page is not indexed and carries no ads until the content has been verified by a medically qualified person.
Sources
We base our content on these documents. Every medical claim in the guide is reflected in one of the publications below.
- NICE — "Diabetes in pregnancy: management from preconception to the postnatal period" (NG3) — www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng3
- NHS — "Gestational diabetes" — www.nhs.uk/conditions/gestational-diabetes/
- ACOG — "Gestational Diabetes" (FAQ) — www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/gestational-diabetes
- Ministry of Health — "Organizational standards of perinatal care" (regulation) — www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie/standard-organizacyjny-opieki-okoloporodowej
- NHS — You and your baby at 22 weeks — www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/week-by-week/13-to-27-weeks/22-weeks-pregnant/
- Mayo Clinic — Pregnancy week by week — www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week
- NHS — Gestational diabetes — www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/complications/gestational-diabetes/