chances of prem labour following this?

[PrincessScrumpy]

I'm 31w pg with id twin girls. Yesterday I went to the delivery ward after calling the mw. Here's the brief history...

Night before last I was sick once then had diarreah (sorry can't spell it) once. I'd been uncomfortable before but after that I was getting what I would call strong bh. I was unable to sleep for an hour because of them and we were thinking about calling the mw but it was 1am and no clear pattern for pains, plus it would have involved a babysitter for dd1. I ended up falling asleep so I'm presuming they eased.

Yesterday at 6pm the pains/tightening started again but stronger so we called a babysitter and decided to get it checked. It looks like I have a urine infection that is aggrivating my uterous but cervix is closed and fibronectin was negative. They said I could stay in but as I live so close to the hospital I could go home so long as I go straight back if it gets worse - I came home. They gave me a steroid injection and a second one this morning when I went in as arranged.

I'm probably reading too much into it but the giving me steroids made me think that they are expecting them early and not letting on (I know there's always a chance). How accurate is the fibronectin test?

Fibronectin if negative has a 99.7% confidence limit that you will not go into labour in the next 2 weeks.

I had similar scenario with 33+6 week baby couple of weeks ago, bloody show, sudden drop of baby into pelvis, nausea, bowel movements and regular contractions for 3-4 hours. Went to delivery, also diagnosed UTI, cervix closed etc etc. Still cooking the little one, now almost 36 weeks.

I wasn't given steroids as 34 weeks is really the point where they are no longer helpful but doctors discussed it and community midwife queried it the following week. It may be that esp with multiples your hospital gives steroids automatically due to some protocol and it is not an indication that they suspect labour anytime but haven't told you.

The fibronectin test is very reliable - I have had two (luckily negative ones!) this pregnancy at UCLH as I am high risk for preterm labour - I think the stats are that it is 98% accurate for a two week period, and 95% for a four week period. IE if it is negative you have a 2 in 100 chance of giving birth in the next two weeks and 5 in 100 chance of giving birth in the next month. The consultant I saw (who is involved in the introduction of the test nationwide) put much faith in it, so hopefully it will be accurate in your case. Your hospital probably gave you steroids anyway because this test is very new, and probably as little as a year ago they were not using it in most hospitals and would have automatically admitted you and given you steroids.

Good luck! I had my son at 31 weeks, so I know how worried you must be.

Thank you - we're going on hols on Saturday - (only 2 hours away) and now feel reassured that I won't be giving birth while there.

I had that test at 29 weeks with twins as I was contracting but not dilating etc. I clung onto them until 36+5, I was thesize of a small planet by then and my waters went. They are now 3 months, I also have 3 year old ID twin girls who I had at 33 weeks so we all thought the 2nd lot eould be prem too.