[Premature labor and fetal fibronectin in cervical and vaginal secretions].

This study aimed to determine whether quantitative measurements of fetal fibronectin in cervical vaginal secretions reflect the prognosis for imminent premature delivery. 166 patients, who were pregnant from between 25 and 36 weeks, were included in the study over a six months' period. Group A included 60 women with premature contractions, which ceased after tocolytic therapy. Group B consisted of 25 women, who delivered prematurely within 1 week. Group C contained 22 patients, with confirmed PROM and group D contained 24 patients in whom PROM was suspected, but not confirmed. The control group (group E) consisted of 35 patients with uneventful pregnancies. Fetal fibronectin levels in groups B and C differed significantly from those in the other groups. Therefore, the positive predictive value of elevated fetal fibronectin levels for premature delivery was 86.1%.