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By Mayo Clinic staffDuring the fetal fibronectin test, you'll lie on your back on an exam table. Your health care provider will place a speculum in your vagina and use a cotton swab to gently swipe secretions near the cervix. The sample will be sent to a lab for analysis. Results are typically available within less than 24 hours.
In some cases, a vaginal ultrasound is done after the sample is taken. During the ultrasound, you'll lie on your back. Your health care provider or technician will place a slender, wand-like device in your vagina to send out sound waves and gather the reflections. The reflected sound waves will be digitally converted into images on a monitor. Your health care provider or technician will use these images to measure the length of your cervix, which often decreases before labor begins. The ultrasound can also help your health care provider or technician assess your baby's size, age and position.
The ultrasound might take up to an hour. It doesn't hurt, and you can return to your usual activities immediately — although your health care provider might recommend other treatments if preterm labor is a concern.
- Lockwood CJ. Fetal fibronectin for prediction of preterm labor and delivery. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Jan. 31, 2013.
- Lockwood CJ. Overview of preterm labor and birth. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Jan. 31, 2013.
- Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ173. Early preterm birth. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq173.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20130215T1057545204. Accessed Feb. 15, 2013.
- Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ087. Preterm labor. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq087.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20130131T1258459154. Accessed Jan. 31, 2013.
- Sanchez-Ramos L, et al. Fetal fibronectin as a short-term predictor of preterm birth in symptomatic patients: A meta-analysis. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2009;114:631.
- DeFranco EA, et al. Improving the screening accuracy for preterm labor: Is the combination of fetal fibronectin and cervical length in symptomatic patients a useful predictor of preterm birth? American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In press. Accessed Feb. 15, 2013.
- Berghella V. Transvaginal ultrasound assessment of the cervix and prediction of spontaneous preterm birth. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Feb. 15, 2013.
- Healthy pregnancy: Staying healthy and safe. The National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/you-are-pregnant/staying-healthy-safe.cfm. Accessed Feb. 15, 2013.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; 2010:363.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 15, 2013.
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