Fetal Fibronectomy (sp?)

(Fraternal boy/girl twins, 25 weeks). I spent a few hours in L& D this afternoon due to fluid leakage and an overabundance of caution. They conducted a fetal fibronectomy test (long swab in vagina) which apparently tests for the presence of chemicals that may signal pre-term labor. The results were negative, meaning I was showing positive chemicals for pre-term labor.

Everything else looked good: cervix long and closed, lots of fluid around the babies in each placenta, no real contractions. I'm curious:
a) did I even spell this right?
b) has anyone else had a similar test and results and
c) if so, what happened next? Did you have pre-term labor or any other complications?

Thank you for any advice.

 

I believe its Fetal Fibronectin or fFN. I think I am a little confused by your results. I thought that if the test came back positive, that you were excreting the PTL chemicals, and if it was negative than there is a 99.9% chance that you will not deliver in 2 weeks.

I had a positive fFN at 24 weeks (almost one year ago today actually), and my Dr made it very clear that a positive result is very inconclusive and does not mean that you will deliver the babies in 2 weeks, but they definitely watch you more carefully. I made it to 28 weeks.

I was actually admitted to the hospital for bedrest, but not just because I had a positive fFN. I was also funneling and my contractions were out of control and had to be controlled with IV meds. I am sure that your Dr will be watching you very closely now, and sending you to a peri if you are not already seeing one. Drink lots of water (dehydration can cause PTL), and be sure to empty your bladder often. Most of all, I would stay in bed!! GL!!

 

QUOTE(Kyrstyn @ Sep 12 2008, 07:29 PM) [snapback]977739[/snapback]
I believe its Fetal Fibronectin or fFN. I think I am a little confused by your results. I thought that if the test came back positive, that you were excreting the PTL chemicals, and if it was negative than there is a 99.9% chance that you will not deliver in 2 weeks.

I had a positive fFN at 24 weeks (almost one year ago today actually), and my Dr made it very clear that a positive result is very inconclusive and does not mean that you will deliver the babies in 2 weeks, but they definitely watch you more carefully. I made it to 28 weeks.

I was actually admitted to the hospital for bedrest, but not just because I had a positive fFN. I was also funneling and my contractions were out of control and had to be controlled with IV meds. I am sure that your Dr will be watching you very closely now, and sending you to a peri if you are not already seeing one. Drink lots of water (dehydration can cause PTL), and be sure to empty your bladder often. Most of all, I would stay in bed!! GL!!


You're exactly right, it was positive and he did say it was inconclusive, but wished it was negative because that is the only guarantee. I am exhausted from being there all day and I guess I just didn't remember it correctly. I am seeing a peri and he's super cautious, told me to take it easy all weekend and put me on med's to control contractions. Thank you for clarifying for me. I really appreciate the information.

 

I was 27w when I was having 10-min contractions. I was dilated 1.5cm, and DR did the fFN test. She said a positive result meant you have 40% of giving birth within 2 weeks. If it was negative, you have a 90% chance of NOT giving birth.

My test came back negative, but i was still admitted to labor & delivery for 3 days to monitor heartbeats & contractions. Everything stabalized, so I was sent home on Level 3 bedrest. Now I'm 29w1d and doing fine! I'm still on bedrest, but feel great and am counting down the days.

Just take it easy. I was a super-active person, worked full time as a waitress and refused to slow down. Apparently my baby girls had a different idea. If I wasn't going to slow down, they were going to force me to slow down. So, take it easy!

 

I had three fFN tests one at 24w, 28w and just before 32w. I was having contractions all these times, but no cervix changes. All mine came back negative and I went on to have the boys at 37w3d with a c-section. Who knows how long I would have gone. However if the tests came back positive I would have been on bedrest and they would have had me in more often to see how I was doing. At least that's what they told me. The reason why they perform them at my hospital is because we are over 3 hrs. away from a big city with NICU facilities.

So take it easy!

 

I had ffn tests at 28, 30 and 32 weeks and all were negative, which i was told meant i had a 99.3% chance of NOT going into labor in the next 2 weeks. Had they been positive, the results are far less meaningful and they wouldn't necessarily treat me differently.

I was put on bed rest at 28 weeks for cramping, contracting and bleeding and made it all the way to 36 weeks.

I was also told that they don't do the test after 34 weeks b/c it becomes meaningless.

The tests were probably most appreciated by my family who could breath more easily for a few weeks at a time, even making my mom feel better about going to visit her mom 10 hours away.

Hope this helps - good luck!

 

I had an fFN test at 34 weeks that came back negative but was admitted to the hospital for preeclampsia. I experienced crazy contractions in between mag doses, so I'm not too sure if I would have "naturally" gone into labor or not had it not been for the powerful drugs I was on.

Good luck to you!!! :hug:

 

I had these from about 26 weeks on if I remember correctly. I thought it was also that if it was positive then there was like a 15-17% chance you'd go into labor in the next 2 weeks but if it was negative, it was 99% sure you wouldn't. So even if its positive it is not conclusive at all that you will go into labor. I had a test at 26, 28, 30, 32 and I believe at 34 (although I think at some point they stop doing these because it isn't accurate anymore and it would be normal to start showing signs of labor and I think this was the one, so I may not have had one then...I can't remember). Every time I had the test it was negative and I carried the twins until 36 weeks 5 days. I've heard of people who had a negative and went into labor anyway, and people who have had a positive and not.