The O’ Sullivan Test In Pregnant Women

The O’ Sullivan test is a test performed on pregnant women to determine their blood glucose status. In other words, this test seeks to establish blood sugar levels to check whether there is a risk of gestational diabetes or not.

Gestational diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose increases primarily due to hormonal changes in pregnancy. This can affect the mother’s health and the normal development of pregnancy and childbirth.

The baby’s health is also compromised in these cases. Therefore, the O’ Sullivan test has become a mandatory test for all pregnant women in many countries.

What is the O’ Sullivan test for

The results allow us to establish two facts:

• That the mother does not have gestational diabetes
• The absence of the risk of suffering from this disease

Some consider the best test in terms of cost, benefit and effectiveness to rule out gestational diabetes. If there is any change in the results, a second, more specific test called the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OTT) should be performed.

Currently, women under 25 years of age, with normal weight and who do not have risk factors, such as a family history of diabetes, previous gestational diabetes or obesity, are exempt from this test. However, the O’ Sullivan test is not free from false positives.

How is O’ Sullivan’s test performed

To take the O’ Sullivan test, it is not necessary for the mother to be fasting. The first thing you need to do is take a blood sample to quantify your glucose levels. So, the pregnant woman should drink a very sweet drink that contains 50 grams of 25% glucose in 200 cc.

The mother-to-be must remain seated for an hour after the sugar load without eating or drinking anything. After this period, a new blood draw is taken to re-quantify the glucose levels and this indicates whether the insulin did its job correctly or not.

If the results of the O’ Sullivan test provide any indication that glucose intolerance is present or are inconclusive, a confirmation test should be performed, which in this case is the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OTT).

when to practice the test

Generally, the O’ Sullivan test is performed between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. This is the most appropriate time, as this period is when hormonal changes usually modify the mother’s insulin function. However, in some cases, testing must be performed more than once.

If a woman has had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, testing is performed in the first trimester. There is supposed to be a risk factor for suffering again. This measure also applies when the mother meets one or more of the following criteria:

• It is over 35 years old.
• Has a family history of diabetes, especially the father or mother.

• When the weight is above normal before pregnancy.
• If you previously gave birth to a baby weighing over four kilos.

Other data to consider

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the O’ Sullivan test, to the point that in many countries this test is only performed if there is a risk factor. The controversy stems from the fact that many women react very negatively to glucose intake.

Some vomit the glucose right away after drinking it, and if the test is repeated a few days later, the same happens. For this reason, this test becomes a real torture for some mothers. This led to the option to apply the test only in risky cases.

In countries where testing is not mandatory, a protocol is followed in which the mother is informed of the risks of the test and can choose whether or not to have it. Likewise, there are doubts about the side effects of high glucose intake on the health of the mother and fetus.