R. Ahner et al., THE FAST-REACTING FETAL FIBRONECTIN TEST - A SCREENING METHOD FOR BETTER PREDICTION OF THE TIME OF DELIVERY, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 177(6), 1997, pp. 1478-1482
OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine from what time onward fetal fibron
ectin is consistently detectable in the cervicovaginal secretions befo
re delivery and to what extent the actual time of delivery can be bett
er determined by this procedure than by the sole use of the Bishop sco
re. STUDY DESIGN: A fast-reacting fetal fibronectin test was performed
on 206 women on their expected date of confinement. In addition, the
cervical status was evaluated with use of a modified Bishop score. Fol
low-up evaluations were subsequently carried out in the course of the
routine examinations. RESULTS: Women with a positive fetal fibronectin
test result and a high Bishop score were delivered after a median of
1.7 days. Conversely, women with a negative fetal fibronectin test res
ult and a low Bishop score were delivered after a median of 7.1 days.
CONCLUSION: Determination of fetal fibronectin in combination with the
Bishop score makes it possible to predict the actual time of delivery
with a greater degree of accuracy.