Anonymous wrote:OP here: Yes, she's instructed to fast before the test. It's in the morning, so she won't be eating anything after dinner the night before.

Our aim is certainly not to game the test. We want an accurate result. My concern is just that with vague instructions, we want to be sure that we're not getting an *inaccurate* result (false positive) by not preparing for the test properly. I know a three-day high-carb diet is often prescribed before the test, and so I'm wondering what the effect of this is, and whether lower-than-average carb consumption in the days/weeks before the test can lead to a false positive diagnosis of GD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard to eat a high carb diet. That's a bad idea just in general. She should eat as usual except don't eat before the test in the morning. If the test is later in the day she can eat something high-protein/high-fat (eggs or something) in the morning but I don't think you're supposed to eat anything for at least 3 hours before?

This is incorrect.

What exactly is incorrect about it? Don't eat high-protein? Don't fast for 3 hours? In either case, what is the correct information? This is not a helpful comment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard to eat a high carb diet. That's a bad idea just in general. She should eat as usual except don't eat before the test in the morning. If the test is later in the day she can eat something high-protein/high-fat (eggs or something) in the morning but I don't think you're supposed to eat anything for at least 3 hours before?

This is incorrect.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I exercised and ate low carb throughout my first pregnancy. Failed the glucose challenge at 28 weeks. Had to come in a couple days later for the 3 hour and only guidance I was given was to fast a certain amount of time beforehand, to bring something to do over the three hours, and just be aware that you can't really drink anything and it's twice the amount of sugar so you can feel pretty lousy by the end. Have a snack ready--something healthy!

I ended up just failing the 3 hour, so I officially had GD. I luckily did not have to make not much lifestyle change since we were already eating healthily and all I had to do was track my blood sugars 4x a day. They even let me go to 41 weeks.

Also, this is just anecdotal, but I will say that I'm pregnant again and have been monitoring my blood sugar from 12 weeks on and the days I eat more carbs in a row the more likely I am to have higher than average cumulative levels the following days versus if I have one carb as a treat. So I'm not sure I would suggest "ramping up carbs" to try and get an accurate reading, I think it may do the opposite and that the test is fairly accurate regardless.

You’re missing the point. A normal body physiology would be able to manage any carbs that you do eat. The fact that your numbers are high is due to your GD, and inability to metabolize sugars, not due to the fact you ate carbs at all. A body working will will always bring itself back into balance.

I am not missing the point. I am pointing out that you can have GD even when you eat low carb and exercise and that it shouldn't change the result of the test. The fact that I can't process carbs is crystal clear to me given I am keenly aware of the carbs I eat and what it does to my body two hours later. I'm just trying to say, don't try to get an "accurate" reading by changing your diet or think anything you're doing healthy ahead of time messes with the test, I'm pretty confident the reading will be accurate if you follow the test instructions. And the good news is, if she does have it, it will likely not be a huge lifestyle adjustment like it is for some women when they get the diagnosis.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I exercised and ate low carb throughout my first pregnancy. Failed the glucose challenge at 28 weeks. Had to come in a couple days later for the 3 hour and only guidance I was given was to fast a certain amount of time beforehand, to bring something to do over the three hours, and just be aware that you can't really drink anything and it's twice the amount of sugar so you can feel pretty lousy by the end. Have a snack ready--something healthy!

I ended up just failing the 3 hour, so I officially had GD. I luckily did not have to make not much lifestyle change since we were already eating healthily and all I had to do was track my blood sugars 4x a day. They even let me go to 41 weeks.

Also, this is just anecdotal, but I will say that I'm pregnant again and have been monitoring my blood sugar from 12 weeks on and the days I eat more carbs in a row the more likely I am to have higher than average cumulative levels the following days versus if I have one carb as a treat. So I'm not sure I would suggest "ramping up carbs" to try and get an accurate reading, I think it may do the opposite and that the test is fairly accurate regardless.

You’re missing the point. A normal body physiology would be able to manage any carbs that you do eat. The fact that your numbers are high is due to your GD, and inability to metabolize sugars, not due to the fact you ate carbs at all. A body working will will always bring itself back into balance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Call the lab if she needs more info.

The point is to see how her body metabolizes sugar in a three house period. Some labs will take a baseline blood draw at arrival after a normal breakfast, some take a fasting baseline at arrival, some don’t take anything, with the understanding that the final number is what is key, as it will only be high if her body can’t metabolize the measured amount of sugar.

Some labs do provide a pre test diet, mostly because there is so much prevalence in low carb these days. If your wife is not normally pale or keto, there’s usually not a need to load with carbs to bring her body out of ketosis ahead of time.

I’m also going to say this: I know a lot of women try to game the system wrt this test. GD is no joke, and can have health implications to both the mother and baby at birth. It’s better to have accurate results than “good” results.

(Not saying this is the case, but the question comes up on here fairly frequently)

This is incorrect.

Anonymous wrote:I exercised and ate low carb throughout my first pregnancy. Failed the glucose challenge at 28 weeks. Had to come in a couple days later for the 3 hour and only guidance I was given was to fast a certain amount of time beforehand, to bring something to do over the three hours, and just be aware that you can't really drink anything and it's twice the amount of sugar so you can feel pretty lousy by the end. Have a snack ready--something healthy!

I ended up just failing the 3 hour, so I officially had GD. I luckily did not have to make not much lifestyle change since we were already eating healthily and all I had to do was track my blood sugars 4x a day. They even let me go to 41 weeks.

Also, this is just anecdotal, but I will say that I'm pregnant again and have been monitoring my blood sugar from 12 weeks on and the days I eat more carbs in a row the more likely I am to have higher than average cumulative levels the following days versus if I have one carb as a treat. So I'm not sure I would suggest "ramping up carbs" to try and get an accurate reading, I think it may do the opposite and that the test is fairly accurate regardless.

Anonymous wrote:I've never heard to eat a high carb diet. That's a bad idea just in general. She should eat as usual except don't eat before the test in the morning. If the test is later in the day she can eat something high-protein/high-fat (eggs or something) in the morning but I don't think you're supposed to eat anything for at least 3 hours before?

Anonymous wrote:Call the lab if she needs more info.

The point is to see how her body metabolizes sugar in a three house period. Some labs will take a baseline blood draw at arrival after a normal breakfast, some take a fasting baseline at arrival, some don’t take anything, with the understanding that the final number is what is key, as it will only be high if her body can’t metabolize the measured amount of sugar.

Some labs do provide a pre test diet, mostly because there is so much prevalence in low carb these days. If your wife is not normally pale or keto, there’s usually not a need to load with carbs to bring her body out of ketosis ahead of time.

I’m also going to say this: I know a lot of women try to game the system wrt this test. GD is no joke, and can have health implications to both the mother and baby at birth. It’s better to have accurate results than “good” results.

(Not saying this is the case, but the question comes up on here fairly frequently)