Any tips on how to optimize glucose tolerance for the screening test?

[Anonymous]

I think you're getting confused on the science here. Researchers have no incentive to increase or decrease the threshold for the screening test. Seriously, do you think they get a kick back for more labs tests?? The false negative rate is the more applicable measure for a screening test than a false positive. Doctors are free to operate within a range or standard of care based on these recommendations.

I failed the one hour within the new lower thresholds. Since I was seeing a high risk (past experience with HELLP/severe PE) my MFM shared that I was borderline, she wasn't worried but recommended going for the three hour. Since GD seriously complicates PE and further increases the risk of PE, I did not object. GD can delay lung maturity and PE can require premature birth so its not a great combination. I did pass all 3 tests.

On another screening test the AFP and the nuchal with both pregnancies my risk profile for Down Syndrome came back much higher due to one of the protein measurements. There is a strong correlation between a higher risk from that particular protein with pregnancies that will later develop PE. The correlation is not strong enough from the false negative rate to qualify as a screening test.

If you have a doctor or midwife that supports natural birth you are not going to get an unnecessary c-section just because you failed the one hour test or the 3 hour test. If you fail the 3 hour test, your doctor has you follow a diet and monitor your blood sugar as you are already doing. If your blood sugar is controlled and the placenta is functioning fine, a doctor supportive of natural birth is not going to rush to c-section.

Interesting but I actually found that my high risk doctors were more against doing a c-section unless absolutely necessary than some of the generalists. Some generalists may jump to a c-section but they are likely to jump there for failure to progress of other reasons that don't warrant it.