If you have diabetes, then I am sure that you have had – or are about to have – a battery of blood tests. One of those tests is the A1C test that every diabetic is required to have. So what is it?
The A1C test measures the percent of glucose-containing red blood cell molecules in the bloodstream. Now, I realize that none of that makes sense until you understand what all of these words mean.
Hemoglobin A is a protein in red blood cells that is used to transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. When glucose molecules combine with hemoglobin A in the bloodstream, the hemoglobin A1C molecule is created. Following me? Good. Now here is the kicker: the more glucose in the bloodstream, the more hemoglobin A1C molecules are created. Right? Right. Now that we understand that part, we can go on to what the A1C test measures.
The A1C test measures the percentage of hemoglobin A1C molecules that have formed in the bloodstream. If you have your A1C tested and the result is say, 5, then 5% of the hemoglobin A in the bloodstream has glucose stuck to it and has become hemoglobin A1C. Make sense? In other words, if your A1C is 5, then 5% of the hemoglobin in the bloodstream is hemoglobin A1C. For those of us with diabetes, it is suggested that we try and keep the A1C at or below 7 percent. It is also suggested by the American Diabetes Association that the A1C test be repeated every three months to check for consistency.
Understanding diabetes is tough. Hopefully, understanding the A1C is not.
Posts Tagged ‘Consistency’
Ovulation kits are small sticks that resemble pregnancy tests. Much like a pregnancy test, these kits look for a specific hormone – luteinizing hormone (LH) – to predict when ovulation might occur. An ovulation kit is available over the counter or online. When LH levels rise, it signals the beginning of a woman’s most fertile days of the month.
Because many women are unsure as to when they ovulation, they purchase multiple ovulation kits so they can test frequently. Unlike a pregnancy test which is a one time use, ovulation predictors may be used daily. The tests are not expensive and are often found in packs of five or more.
Testing is performed by urinating on a testing stick. Unlike pregnancy tests, women should not use the first morning’s urine to detect ovulation. Instead, aim to test mid-afternoon. However, once a time is selected to test, the woman should aim to test every day at the same time for consistency.
Women can reduce the frequency of ovulation testing by taking note of their menstrual cycle. Ovulation usually occurs approximately 10 to 14 days after the first day of the last period. These numbers are just an estimate however, and results vary from woman to woman.
For women who wish to become pregnant, the best times to do so are just before, during and after ovulation. On the other hand, women who do not wish to conceive should abstain from sex during ovulation or seek alternative methods of birth control such as condoms or The Pill.
Ovulation is what happens during the menstrual cycle, whereby an egg is released from the ovary, then travels through the fallopian tube, where it is then available to sperm in order to be fertilized. The ovulation of a woman is very important in order to understand pregnancy and the menstrual cycle. Having the knowledge of your ovulation period will assist you in becoming pregnant, along with understanding the correct time to test if you are pregnant.
There are a few ovulation signs that a woman can look for, when trying to decipher which day of their cycle starts their ovulation process.
Counting the days is the most popular and simplest way. For the average woman, the ovulation process occurs 14 days before the first day of their period. These 14 days are in actual fact a very good indicator as to when ovulation has started and does not generally vary largely between women. However, it can be difficult to indicate as to when your next ovulation will happen, as the time span between your period and next ovulation can vary enormously between women and also between cycles. Therefore, counting days is a very retrospective indicator.
The consistency of your cervical mucus can also be a sign of ovulation. Cervical Mucus Monitoring is one of the most instant ways in which to indicate whether a woman is ovulating or not. The cervical secretions can be tested by gathering a sample of the mucus that it present around the lips of your genitalia. This should be tested by placing the discharge between your index finger and thumb and stretching, to observe its consistency. The consistency of cervical mucus can in actual fact change after menstruation, immediately before ovulation, during and after ovulation. Therefore, looking at the consistency will be a sure way of predicting whether you are in your cycle.
Most women, at the beginning of their cycle, the days after menstruation, do not have cervical mucus that they can test and may also feel dry around their vulva. This is the period whereby women are less likely to conceive.
As the cycle advances, a discharge will again start to appear, which should be white or off-white in color. As this period advances before ovulation, the discharge will begin to have a more substantial consistency. This is when it can be tested between your finger and thumb, whereby it will not break immediately.
The cervical mucus will appear to be more opaque in color during ovulation, and it can be stretched a couple of centimeters when testing without resulting in breakage. This is also the period when the discharge is very abundant. When the cervical mucus is more substantial and most abundant, then a woman is at her peak of ovulation, which is the highest chance for conception.
It is after ovulation that the discharge will revert back to a state similar to that before ovulation and return to a dry state similar to immediately after menstruation. Once this has happened you should be very near to your next period.
One of the other signs of ovulation is the increase in your basal body temperature. Although this is yet another retrospective indicator, it is a very good predictor. It is just after your period of ovulation that your temperature can rise to approximately 0.4 to 0.6 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature will remain until the end of your cycle, rising up and down. However, the steep increase of temperature after ovulation is the indicator or such ovulation. It is advised to keep a log of your temperatures throughout a few cycles, so that you can begin to predict when your ovulation will begin.
You may also experience other signs of ovulation which include an increase in sex drive, tenderness of the breasts, bloating of the abdomen, heightened senses as well as an elevated level of LH (luteinizing hormone), which can be detected with the use of ovulation kits.


