You may want to test your Hemoglobin A1C if you have one or more of the following:
- diabetes diagnosis
- 40 years old or older
- a family history of diabetes in a first degree relative
- a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more (obesity)
- ethnic background of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islanders
- diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
- polycystic ovarian syndrome
- high blood pressure
- history of heart and/or vascular disease
- high cholesterol (especially triglycerides >250 mg/dL)
- prediabetes or high fasting blood sugar
Certain medical conditions may falsely raise or lower the Hemoglobin A1c value. These conditions may include HIV, hemoglobinopathies (including sickle cell disease), pregnancy (2nd/3rd trimesters), the postpartum period, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, hemodialysis, recent blood loss or transfusion/erythropoietin therapy, cystic fibrosis and post-organ transplant. In these cases, a Hemoglobin A1c test may not be the recommended test to determine your risk for diabetes. If you have one of these conditions, we recommend speaking with a healthcare provider in person about alternative screening tests to determine diabetes risk.