You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

A single cervical fetal fibronectin screening test in; population at low risk for preterm delivery: an improvement on clinical indicators?

  1. Gilles Faron Research Fellow (Maternal and Fetal Medicine) 1,2,*,
  2. Michel Boulvain Research Fellow (Maternal and Fetal Medicine) 2,
  3. Jean-Pol Lescrainier Registered Technician 1,
  4. Alain Vokaer Professor (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) 1

Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1997.tb11980.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 104, Issue 6, pages 697–701, June 1997

Additional Information

How to Cite

Faron, G., Boulvain, M., Lescrainier, J.-P. and Vokaer, A. (1997), A single cervical fetal fibronectin screening test in; population at low risk for preterm delivery: an improvement on clinical indicators?. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 104: 697–701. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1997.tb11980.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    High Risk Pregnancy Unit, Brugmann Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Belgium

  2. 2

    Perinatology Centre, Centre Hosp Universitaire de Québec, Pavilion Saint-Francois d'Assise, Laval University, Quebec (PQ), Canada

*Correspondence: Dr G. Faron, Service de Gynécologie-Obstérique, Hopital Universitaire Brugmann, 4 Place Van Gehuchten, 1020 Brussels, Belgium.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 AUG 2005
  2. Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005
  3. Received 20 June 1996 Accepted 21 January 1997

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (448K)

Objective To assess the accuracy of a single cervical fetal fibronectin test to predict spontaneous preterm delivery in an unselected antenatal population.

Design A prospective blind cohort study.

Setting Antenatal clinic of a teaching hospital in a Brussels semiurban area.

Participants An unselected group of 170 women followed at the antenatal clinic.

Methods A single cervical sample was obtained between 24 and 33 completed weeks of pregnancy. The fibronectin test was compared with clinical evaluation and their predictive properties were assessed.

Results Fifteen women were excluded from the analysis because of elective preterm delivery for medical indications or loss to follow up. Of the 155 remaining women, nine (7%) had a spontaneous preterm delivery. For a single fetal fibronectin test, the sensitivity was 26.7%, the specificity 95.7%, and the positive and negative predictive values 40.0% and 92.4%, respectively. The likelihood ratio of a positive was similar to that of clinical predictors of preterm birth (LR = 6.2; 95% CI 2.0–19.6). Sensitivities were low for both clinical criteria and the fetal fibronectin test.

Conclusions Because of low sensitivity in a low risk population, screening for preterm delivery should not be based on the result of a single fetal fibronectin test alone. However, due to its high specificity the test might be useful in avoiding unnecessary medical intervention.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (448K)