With premature birth rates increasing throughout America and November being the month leading awareness events across the country, even our ever-growing technology has not been able to stem the tide of babies being born early, making theml at high risk for serious illness, complications, or death. Fortunately, for expectant moms everywhere, there is a new FDA-approved test that is safe enough to be taken during pregnancy in order to predict whether or not the mother or the baby is at risk for premature birth.
Called the fetal fibronectin (fFN) test, doctors are able to administer a noninvasive, safe vaginal swab inside your cervix to determine if extra precaution is needed for the impending labor. This can prepare both the woman and her physician, giving the baby a better chance of survival. Statistics within America say that one in twelve babies are not carried the whole nine months and mothers end up being induced or have to give birth early.
Fetal fibronectin (fFN) is a protein found in a woman’s body between the uterine lining and fetal sack. Produced by fetal cells, fFN acts as a sort of glue holding the amniotic sac (the baby’s primary source of comfort in the womb, the place for the fetus to grow and be protected) against the uterine wall. While fFN is usually secreted early on during pregnancy, it also appears toward the end of the pregnancy, a signal that labor is about to begin. Therefore, by swabbing for fFN between 22 and 37 weeks—the defining period of a premature birth—physicians can determine whether or not the baby is coming sooner than its due date.
Professionals advise that the only preparation needed for the fFN test is to refrain from sexual intercourse at least 24 hours before the appointment as it could trigger a false positive. A positive test indicates that the fetal fibronectin protein is present and that a preterm labor could be possible within the next two weeks. A negative result, however, means that fFN has not been found on the cervical swab and there is no indication of early birth. If you are at a high risk for premature birth, your doctor (or you) may want to receive the fFN test weekly to assess your risk. If you experience vaginal bleeding, your doctor will postpone the test. Some labs also use an ultrasound in addition to the swab, in order to measure your cervix (which enlarges right before labor). Results can usually be translated and returned within a 24-hour period, depending on the lab.
Aside from the possibility of increasing your stress by worrying about the outcome of the test every week if you choose to have it, the fFN Test does not pose any dangers to the mother or the infant and has not been found to be a factor in miscarriages.
Covered by most insurance companies, the Mayo Clinic recommends the fFN test as a good idea if you have the following symptoms of a possible premature birth: pelvic pain, contractions, diarrhea, vaginal bleeding or spotting, watery vaginal discharge, or a low backache. If you are an “at risk” woman, you may also want to have the test. “At risk” women have one or more of the following: those with a short cervix, a pregnancy involving multiples, someone who has already given birth to a premature baby, someone with little or no prenatal care, chronic health problems, or serious health problems among others that include diabetes or obesity.
With little to no side effects, a 99 percent accuracy rate, and a safety stamp of approval from the FDA, any pregnant mother who may be at risk for premature birth or may be having symptoms should ask her physician for more details or to arrange a test.
Called the fetal fibronectin (fFN) test, doctors are able to administer a noninvasive, safe vaginal swab inside your cervix to determine if extra precaution is needed for the impending labor. This can prepare both the woman and her physician, giving the baby a better chance of survival. Statistics within America say that one in twelve babies are not carried the whole nine months and mothers end up being induced or have to give birth early.
Fetal fibronectin (fFN) is a protein found in a woman’s body between the uterine lining and fetal sack. Produced by fetal cells, fFN acts as a sort of glue holding the amniotic sac (the baby’s primary source of comfort in the womb, the place for the fetus to grow and be protected) against the uterine wall. While fFN is usually secreted early on during pregnancy, it also appears toward the end of the pregnancy, a signal that labor is about to begin. Therefore, by swabbing for fFN between 22 and 37 weeks—the defining period of a premature birth—physicians can determine whether or not the baby is coming sooner than its due date.
Professionals advise that the only preparation needed for the fFN test is to refrain from sexual intercourse at least 24 hours before the appointment as it could trigger a false positive. A positive test indicates that the fetal fibronectin protein is present and that a preterm labor could be possible within the next two weeks. A negative result, however, means that fFN has not been found on the cervical swab and there is no indication of early birth. If you are at a high risk for premature birth, your doctor (or you) may want to receive the fFN test weekly to assess your risk. If you experience vaginal bleeding, your doctor will postpone the test. Some labs also use an ultrasound in addition to the swab, in order to measure your cervix (which enlarges right before labor). Results can usually be translated and returned within a 24-hour period, depending on the lab.
Aside from the possibility of increasing your stress by worrying about the outcome of the test every week if you choose to have it, the fFN Test does not pose any dangers to the mother or the infant and has not been found to be a factor in miscarriages.
Covered by most insurance companies, the Mayo Clinic recommends the fFN test as a good idea if you have the following symptoms of a possible premature birth: pelvic pain, contractions, diarrhea, vaginal bleeding or spotting, watery vaginal discharge, or a low backache. If you are an “at risk” woman, you may also want to have the test. “At risk” women have one or more of the following: those with a short cervix, a pregnancy involving multiples, someone who has already given birth to a premature baby, someone with little or no prenatal care, chronic health problems, or serious health problems among others that include diabetes or obesity.
With little to no side effects, a 99 percent accuracy rate, and a safety stamp of approval from the FDA, any pregnant mother who may be at risk for premature birth or may be having symptoms should ask her physician for more details or to arrange a test.
Source: http://www.healthnews.com/
.png "English"){kind=small}
0 comments
Post a Comment