The fetal fibronectin (fFN) test cant tell you for sure that you are in labor, but it can tell you that youre not. This is useful because in the early stages of preterm labor, its 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 its highly unlikely that youll 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 not be needed. A positive result, on the other hand, is not as useful. It means youre at a higher risk of giving birth early, but it doesnt guarantee that youre about to give birth or that youll deliver early at all, so it wont help your practitioner decide how to manage your situation. If youre having symptoms of preterm labor, your practitioner may also order an ultrasound to see whether your cervix is effacing (thinning out). During true labor, the cervix effaces and dilates (opens) so your baby can come out. If your cervix doesnt appear to be changing, its another sign that youre not in labor. -Kayla
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 03:45:06 +0000
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