Fetal fibronectin test on Chinese women with symptoms of preterm labour: a pilot study

Abstract

The fetal fibronectin test is advocated to facilitate the management of women presenting with threatened preterm labour, but is underutilised in Hong Kong. This study aimed to provide experience with this test and evaluate its utility in a local setting. Prospective cohort study. A university-affiliated hospital in Hong Kong. Women presenting with symptoms of preterm labour were recruited from 1 January 2011 to 30 June 2012. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the fetal fibronectin test to predict delivery within 24 hours, 48 hours, 7 days, and 14 days. A total of 22 women were recruited; 12 (55%) of whom had a negative fetal fibronectin test, none of whom delivered within 7 days; six received corticosteroids and tocolysis, one of whom delivered within 14 days. The 10 remaining women had a positive fetal fibronectin test. Five of whom delivered within 7 days and two within 14 days; all of them had received corticosteroids and tocolysis. For predicting delivery within 7 days, the sensitivity and negative predictive value of the test were both 100%. Our study demonstrated the high negative predictive value of the fetal fibronectin test in our local setting, which suggests that it should be utilised more readily in women presenting with threatened preterm labour.