Fetal Fibronectin Test

[spearo21]

Hello,

I'm 33+4 weeks pregnant and had been having what felt like contractions last night. Tightenings and period cramp like pain in back and lower abdomen, they were pretty regular too but managed to get some sleep in between and woke up much the same this morning. I've also been vomitting a fair bit so when I've gone to triage I've been pretty badly dehydrated so got fluids now nd when they examined my cervix they said it was closed but they done the fetal fibronectin test and they have come back saying I have 30% Chance of going into preterm labour and need to be kept in for observation over the next 24 hours and I need to get steroid shots as well to help babies lungs. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had this and did you go into pre term labour? 30% isn't high really but still enough of a result that they are keeping an eye on me.... 2nd baby also and got ICP!

A FFN is not designed to be used after 32 weeks. I only know this because I was on the trial at my local hospital who were researching their benefit on premature labour. A FFN test is much more highly likely to read positive later in third trimester.
Also positives are not reliable-negatives are (if this makes sense) they just aren’t the best indicator.

With my tests I started at 22-32 weeks, every two weeks. Most of them were positive, and there was no need to keep me in-I went to 40+2 with no issues. My previous baby was born at 27+4 too.

So bottom line is, the FFN test they used was completely pointless and won’t actually tell anyone anything. I hope this reassures you!

Oh! Well there's that haha I do feel a bit useless sitting in here but here I am anyway! I'll be induced anyway at 37 weeks but hopefully I'll be able to cling on to him until then!

No harm being looked after, but I just wanted you to know how little to believe that positive test :)