Too small, too soon
Fetal fibronectin test helps predict premature birth
By Jackie Perrone jacper@juno.com

Dr. Alexander Smythe

In his specialty of highrisk pregnancies, Columbia obstetrician Dr. Alexander Smythe knows all the tools available to ward off premature deliveries. One of the newest, and, he says, a very useful one, is a test called the fetal fibronectin test.

"This test has been available to doctors for only a few years," he said. "It is the only reliable test, which provides clues that point toward the possibility of a premature birth. It has enhanced our ability to prevent or delay a pre- term birth, and that improves the chances for a healthy baby as well as a healthy mother."

This test is used to detect the presence of fetal fibronectin in the mother's womb. The detection of fetal fibronectin signals birth may be imminent, and preventive measures may be needed to delay the birth process.

Dr. William Stoddard of Greenville also endorses the use of the F.F. test in high- risk pregnancies.

"Being able to ward off a too- early birth is a very important issue for doctors," he said. "Premature babies may not survive the early birth, and others may face a number of health and developmental challenges.

"We have treatments available for women in danger of a premature delivery, and the fetal fibronectin test helps us know when it's time to use them."

This up- to- date evaluation procedure has many advantages over older diagnostic tools. It is simple and non- invasive, just a cotton swab followed by lab analysis, therefore posing no risk to the mother or the fetus.

Several types of pregnancies are considered high risk for premature delivery including mothers who have previously delivered early, those with high blood pressure or diabetes, certain infections, and drug use.

The test may give a useful prediction for a period of up to two weeks and can be repeated at two- week intervals safely.

Dr. Smythe also mentioned his colleague Dr. Tony Gregg at Richland Memorial Hospital, another specialist in high- risk pregnancies.

"We are able to carry out this procedure right here in our community now," according to Dr. Smythe. "When it was first made available to us, we had to send the swab material by FedEx to California and wait for results."

According to Dr. Stoddard, while prematurity has been a significant hazard for some pregnancies, not much progress had been made in the past 20 or more years in combating it, until the fetal fibronectin test was devised. Today's mothers have a far better chance for a safe and healthy delivery because of this predictive tool.