Pregnancy is a very delicate and complicated phase. It would help if you were very careful about everything you do. Though preterm labor is successful in most cases, there are chances of severe complications if the baby leaves the womb early. Their lungs and other organs might not have grown to the fullest. During pregnancy, you will be required to take several tests to ensure that both the mother and the baby are healthy and strong. Fetal Fibronectin test for preterm labor is one such test to evaluate the risk of preterm delivery.
The fetal fibronectin test is a blood test that is performed on pregnant women who are at risk for preterm labor. The test can determine if the woman has an increased risk of developing preterm labor in the next two weeks. In this article, let us discuss more Fetal Fibronectin tests, when the test will be taken, and much more.
In This Article
- What is the Fetal Fibronectin Test?
- Who Should Get the fFN Test?
- When is Fetal Fibronectin Test Performed?
- What to Expect From fFN?
- How to Prepare For the Fetal Fibronectin Test?
- What Are the Results of the Fetal Fibronectin Test?
- What Kind of Treatments Can a Negative fFN Test Result Help Me Avoid?
- FAQ’s
What is the Fetal Fibronectin Test?
Fetal Fibronectin is a protein secreted between the boundaries of the amniotic sac and the uterus lining. This secretion helps the amniotic sac and the uterus lining to stay intact with each other. The Fetal Fibronectin test identifies the fFN levels in the vaginal fluid to ascertain the risk of preterm delivery.
Normal delivery is the one that occurs between 38 to 42 weeks of pregnancy, and delivery between 20 and 37 weeks of pregnancy is known as preterm delivery. The fFN levels are high during early pregnancy as the tissues develop at the junction of amniotic fluid and the uterus lining. Along the weeks, the fFN levels drop as the body gets ready to give birth.
Who Should Get the fFN Test?
It is recommended to do the fFN test in pregnant women at 24 to 32 weeks and with the symptoms of preterm labor. It may also be used in women who do not have the symptoms of preterm labor and those at 22 to 31 weeks pregnant.
Some women between 22 to 35 weeks of pregnancy with a shortened cervix, contractions, cervix dilations, or other preterm labor symptoms may also be tested.
However, you will not be tested for fFN if you:
- Already have a ruptured amniotic membrane.
- Have dilated for more than 3 cms.
- Are experiencing moderate to severe vaginal bleeding.
- Have cervical Cerclage.
You OBGYN will decide whether you need the fFN test or not. Sometimes, your doctor might decide that you don’t need the fFN test, and they might use your cervical length to determine if you require the fFN test.
If your cervix is short, you may be at the risk of having the baby soon. In such cases, your doctor may recommend you to take steroids or medicines to help the contractions, even if the fFN test comes negative.
If your cervix is long, there is a lower risk of preterm delivery. So, the doctors might not recommend the fFN test based on your ultrasound results.
[Read : Cervical Cerclage: All That You Need To Know]
When is Fetal Fibronectin Test Performed?
Your doctor might ask you to take the fFN test anytime during 22 to 34 weeks of pregnancy based on your symptoms and health condition. The following are some of the symptoms that may require or necessisate the fFN test.
- Abdominal Pain
- Backache and Cramping
- Change in Vaginal discharge
- Dilation of the cervix
- Pelvic Pressure
- Uterine contractions
Further, certain factors may increase the risk of preterm labor. They are,
- Prior history of preterm delivery
- Surgeries in the uterus or cervix area
- Short Cervix
- The short interval between two pregnancies
- Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy
If you get a positive, fFN test, it indicates a slight disturbance in the tissues that glues the amniotic fluid and the uterus lining. You might be at the risk of premature delivery in the next seven days.
What to Expect From fFN?
Before going to the test, you need to understand what you can expect in an fFN test. Ideally, your doctor would insert a swab into your vagina and collect the sample of cervical and vaginal secretions. And that is it. Your sample goes in for testing, and the results depend on the level of fFN in your body.
How to Prepare For the Fetal Fibronectin Test?
Though the results of fFN tests are always accurate, there are a few factors that might give a false result. You need to avoid them before the test, certainly. They are,
- Lubricants
- Soaps
- Lotions
- Douches
- Pelvic examination or ultrasounds
- Sexual Intercourse 24 hours before the test
What Are the Results of the Fetal Fibronectin Test?
The results of the Fetal Fibronectin Test come as either positive or negative. In most cases, the results are accurate.
If you have a positive fFN result,
- You have a 16.7 percentage of preterm delivery in the next two weeks.
- You might be advised to take steroids and medicines to pause the labor and fasten the baby’s lung development.
If you have a negative fFN result,
- You have a 0.8 percentage of preterm delivery in the next two weeks.
- You might be under observation to monitor the symptoms of preterm delivery.
- If no changes are identified, you will be discharged.
[Read : 5 Different Phases Of Fetal Lung Development]
What Kind of Treatments Can a Negative fFN Test Result Help Me Avoid?
A negative fFN result helps your doctor make the medications and treatment clearer. You might not require to be admitted to the hospital and can avoid the following treatments,
- Medicines and steroids that stall preterm delivery.
- Corticosteroids help in developing the baby’s lungs.
- If you are delivering before 32 weeks, you might need Magnesium Sulphate to help reduce the baby’s risk of developing cerebral palsy.
- Other Antibiotics.
These drugs help you and your baby if you have a positive test result. But, avoiding them is the best when not necessary. Though they are the best, they might have side effects if used when not needed.
If the doctor thinks that women might deliver early, they may suggest the fetal fibronectin test for preterm labor. Based on the result, the doctor might give medicines and steroids to stall the delivery and help fasten the growth of the baby’s lungs. Now that you know everything about the fFN test, if your doctor suggests you a test, make sure you take them without fail and have happy labor.
[Read : Antibiotics During Pregnancy]
FAQ’s
1. How Far is the Fetal Fibronectin Test Reliable?
According to the research conducted by the National Library Of Medicine to determine the accuracy of the cervicovaginal Fetal Fibronectin Test, the Cervicovaginal Fetal Fibronectin Test is most accurate in determining preterm birth within the next 7 to 10 days. These tests were conducted among women who had symptoms of preterm birth before cervical dilation.
The study result also says that, after a positive fFN test, 40 symptomatic women were tested, and 17 of them at 31 weeks of gestational age required antenatal steroids to prevent respiratory distress syndrome.
2. Can You Still Go Into Labor With a Negative Fetal Fibronectin Test?
A negative fFN test means that it is unlikely that you will give birth in the next week or two. This can make you have a chill pill and helps your doctor to hold off the treatments that may not be necessary.
Read Also: What is Premature Delivery?
