Fetal Fibronectin Test

[AllMacsNow]

Has anyone had this test done? Can you tell me what to expect?

I had a regular growth ultrasound on Monday, to follow up some things that they were unable to see at my 20 week anomaly scan.

At this time, they measured my cervix, and it was 'a little bit short.' Then they did a T/V ultrasound to try to get a more accurate reading. If I read the screens right, it measured 29 and then 19 mm.

They want to do another ultrasound at 28 weeks to check up, but in the meantime, I'm having this fetal fibronectin test today, to see what we're looking at, and how serious this is.

Any advice/stories would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[AP]

A Fetal Fibronectin test can go one of two ways, negative or positive. It takes about an hour to two to process the results.

A positive fetal fibronectin test means theres a possibility you may go into labour in the next two weeks. They are not reliable however, so remember this if you do get a positive. I had 4 positives in my second pregnancy from 22 weeks. I got to 40+2!

A negative is much more reliable than a positive, and generally means theres no sign of labour.

It is a swab im afraid, a lil like a smear test, but I had them done every few weeks, so they arent that bad!

 

[AllMacsNow]

Thank you. I had the test yesterday, now just waiting on the results.

Can I ask, what did the Dr. do and/or make you do after you'd gotten a positive?

 

[AP]

If I ever got a positive, I was scanned to see any change of my cervix. i was retested 2 weeks later. the whole time I was on progesterone.

However if you have had recent sexual intercourse it will most likely come up as a false positive

My cervix changed a lot, one time we watched it go from 4cm, to 2cm, and back up again, it was mad. It's hard to be accurate

 

[AllMacsNow]

Thanks again, Atomic!

My test came back negative, so that was good. They'll continue to monitor me for the short cervix, but I'm not quite so worried now.

 

[AP]

Yey!!! no probs, always happy to help!