Has anyone had a fetal fibronectin?
“Fibronectin is a high-molecular-weight extracellular matrix glycoprotein containing about 5% carbohydrate that binds to membrane spanning receptor proteins called integrins. In addition to integrins, they also bind extracellular matrix components such as collagen, fibrin and heparan sulfate.[1]” ** Here is my answer and the source references for you to do some additional reading: There is little risk or danger to this test since the procedure is as follows: “Diagnosic test:” “The test is easily performed. A specimen is collected from the patient using a vaginal swab. The swab is placed in a transport tube and sent to the lab for testing. The lab can easily produce a test result in less than one hour.” *** “A negative fetal fibronectin test gives a more than 95% likelihood of remaining undelivered for the next 2 weeks. On the other hand, a positive fetal fibronectin test only only means a higher risk of preterm delivery (61% of delivery before 34 weeks)[3].
The fetal fibronectin (fFN) test can’t tell you for sure that you are in labor, but it can tell you that you’re not. This is useful because in the early stages of preterm labor, it’s very difficult to tell if a woman really is in labor based on her symptoms and a pelvic exam. A negative result on the fFN test means it’s highly unlikely that you’ll give birth in the next week or two, which can set your mind at ease and allow your practitioner to hold off on treatments that may prove to be unnecessary. A positive result, on the other hand, is not as useful. It means you’re at a higher risk of giving birth early, but it doesn’t guarantee that you’re about to give birth or that you’ll deliver early at all, so it won’t help your practitioner decide how to manage your situation. If you’re having symptoms of preterm labor, your practitioner may also order an ultrasound to see if your cervix is effacing (thinning out). During true labor, the cervix effaces and dilates (opens) so your baby can
