Many pregnant women experience symptoms that suggest preterm labor. These may include uterine contractions, changes in vaginal discharge, backaches, pelvic pressure, cramping, and cervical dilation. However, not all symptomatic women will actually have a preterm delivery. The majority will go on to deliver at term.

1. Fetal fibronectin

2. Fetal fibronectin
•Many pregnant women experience symptoms that suggest preterm labor.
These may include uterine contractions, changes in vaginal discharge,
backaches, pelvic pressure, cramping, and cervical dilation.
• However, not all symptomatic women will actually have a preterm
delivery.
• The majority will go on to deliver at term. Unfortunately, while
premature births can have successful endings, serious complications are
possible when a baby leaves the womb early.
•Babies have difficulty breathing and feeding who all are less than 37
weeks old frequently.
• Theirlungs are, do not function normally and other organs are immature,
and the strain on them can cause continual health problems. The more
premature the baby, the more likely that it will experience complications.

3.  Have intact amniotic membranes
 Have a cervix that has not dilated more than 3 centimeters
 Have only slight vaginal bleeding
 Do not contain cervical cerclage (a cervix that has been sewn
shut during pregnancy to help keep the baby in the uterus;
used when someone has a weak cervix)
The fetal fibronectin test should only used on
those who:

4.  The fFN test is not recommended for screening asymptomatic, low-risk
women.
 The fFN may be repeated after 2 weeks if the first fFN is negative and
labor symptoms persist beyond the next 7-14 days. The test may thus be
repeated several times since each test result is valid for the following 7 to
14 days.
 The fFN test is not mention to be used on women with placental abruption
(premature detachment of the placenta), premature rupture of membranes,
placenta previa (a placenta attached to the lower portion of the uterus), or
moderate to heavy vaginal bleeding.
fFN test

5.  A positive fFN result is not very predictive of preterm labor and delivery.
However, a negative fFN result is highly predictive that preterm delivery
will not occur within the next 2 weeks.
 In other words, when the fFN test is done on a symptomatic woman who
meets the qualifying conditions, a negative test result means that there is a
less than 1% chance of having a premature delivery within the next 2
weeks.
 The doctor will also use other tests and her clinical expertise to evaluate
each person at the situation.
 Since there are risks associated with treating a woman for premature labor
(in anticipation of a premature delivery), a negative fFN can reduce
avoidable hospitalizations and drug therapies.
Contd..,

6.  A positive fetal fibronectin test is with a reduction of specific in it. It is
associated with an increased risk for preterm delivery and with neonatal
complications, but it will not tell a woman's doctor whether or not she will
deliver early. A positive test suggests the need to monitor a symptomatic
woman more closely.
 Fetal fibronectin may bind to Candida, vaginal yeast. If the patient has a
vaginal yeast infection, the result may be a fake and negative.
 If the risk for preterm delivery is high, extra measures can be delay
delivery for as long as possible and to help prepare the fetus for birth.
Contd..,

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