A protein produced during pregnancy and the basis of
a test for preterm delivery. Fetal fibronectin (fFN) functions as a "glue" attaching
the fetal sac to the uterine lining. The presence of fFN during weeks 22-34 of a
high-risk pregnancy, along with symptoms of labor, suggests that the "glue" is disintegrating
ahead of schedule and raises the possibility of a preterm delivery. To test fFN,
a cotton swab is used (as in a Pap smear) to collect samples of cervico-vaginal
secretions. A negative fFN test result is a highly reliable predictor that delivery
will not occur within the next 2 weeks. The American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists (ACOG) does not recommend the test for routine screening, as its use
has not been shown to be clinically effective in predicting preterm labor in low-risk,
asymptomatic pregnancies. ACOG recommends fFN testing only for symptomatic, high-risk
pregnancies, where preterm labor is suspected.
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