Fetal Fibronectin Test & Leaking

[camdensmommy]

Hello,

I have a cousin who is visiting in town and she is 22 weeks pregnant. We had to take her to the ER today because she has been leaking or peeing (we're not sure which) and has also had a bit of spotting in the mornings for the last week.

She had 4 tests done at the hospital and 3 of the 4 tests came back negative and they could not find any traces of amniotic fluid. They also did an ultrasound to test the fluid levels, which came back at 7.78 ounces. Last week it was 14 the first day and 9 the next. (She went to the hospital for this last week before she flew here and everything was fine but now she started spotting and is still leaking so she went in again).

The 4th test was the Fetal Fibronectin test and it came back positive. This test measures your risk of going into pre-term labor. They said it could be a false positive and she is supposed to retake the test this Friday when she gets home. The doctor told her not to worry and thinks everthing is fine. They can not tell her why she has lost control of her bladder or why she has the sudden spotting. They are testing her urine for any infections but we won't here back on that for a little bit.

Basically my questions are these: have you ever had or know of someone who had a false positive Fetal Fibronectin test? Have you ever lost control of your bladder during pregnancy? She basically has anything from drips to fairly large amounts all throughout the day (she has to wear a pad). If she is leaking amniotic fluid has anyone else had this experience?

[Sweet_Fantasy_Fox]

i never heard of this and have no advice but want to send lots of prayers that she keeps baking that baby until it is due and everything goes smoothly

[Kimmomy2dom]

Well, fFns can just be WRONG. Lots of people get +s and then go weeks, months, etc. without giving birth. It DOES happen. I think I've leaked SMALL amounts of urine during pregnancy and after. Has she been pg before? It could just be the way her bladder is, KWIM? We can only take so much. Has she sniffed it? Obviously urine smells like urine, LOL, I've heard amniotic fluid smells sweet but I gushed a good deal of it when my water broke this last time and I don't think it smelled like anything. Is it clear, or is it ever yellow? Or can you tell?
When I went in for a NST once I was worried I was leaking a small amount of fluid. They tested me to reassure me, but the nurse said "Oh, it'll run down your leg". I don't know if that was true the first time my water broke, but the second time it sure was true.
I'd just have her take it easy until she gets home, hopefully they'll figure everything out then!

[Lyric]

If she is leaking amniotic fluid has anyone else had this experience? I leaked amniotic fluid from the time I was 4 months pregnant up until I gave birth at 36 weeks. They watched me really close because of it and I had pre-term labor a couple of times. If she is leaking amniotic fluid she needs to be watched closely. I pray that she is not leaking amniotic fluid and it is just urine leaking out.

[ajm0130]

I had a negative Ffn test done and my water broke a week later at 31 weeks. They told me a positive just means you are at a higher risk, not a guarantee that you will go into labor. A negative result however put me at very low risk of preterm labor. It was wrong for me...I hope it was a false + for her!

[camdensmommy]

Thanks guys. This is her second pregnancy and her 1st came a week late and she had no complications whatsoever.

The leakage is clear and doesn't smell like urine. She never had bladder problems prior to this.

She will have more testing done tomorrow (friday). It really seems like this is amniotic fluid she is leaking. We are all praying and crossing our fingers for her.

[sunshinebabies3]

ANY UPDATE? I know that this is very scary, but many many women go on to have term babies even after a positive FF. I had them every week-10 days during my pregnancy and my docs reminded me that they are by no means foolproof.

i have also experienced incontinence during pregnany, and it doesnt necessarily depend on having a previous bladder problem. baby can just pounce on your bladder and out it comes. I would take great comfort in the fact that they did not detect amniotic fluid in what she was leaking. BUT--is she seeing a perinatologist? If not, I HIGHLY encourage this. OB's are great, but peris tend to watch us high riskers a lot closer. And they tend to be more aggressive in their treatment. is she on full bedrest??? I mean potty breaks & 1 shower per day only? No stairs...etc??

[Shaysbabygirls]

I had a positive FFN test with my 3 year old at 26 1/2 weeks. I was having contractions and dialated 3-4cm and 80% effaced! I was in the hospital for about 2 1/2 weeks, and then sent home on strict bedrest and procardia (for my bp and it helps keep contractions from dialating anymore) and she was born at 36wks, so it is possible to get a positive test and not go into labor...

I was told with my last pg, a negative means that you're at the same risk as everyone else at the same stage in pg. If you're showing symptoms of labor, and you get a negative, then you're like 1 in 10 likely to deliver early. If you're having signs and symptons of PTL and you get a positive FFN test, then you have a 1 in 3 chance of delivering early.

I was told that 1 1/2 years ago, by my peri who has done extensive research in this test, and does conferences about it. things may have changed by now, but that's when he told me LOL



I wish her all the luck!

HUGS!!!

[GoddessWifeMom]

This is me almost to a T. LOL

I was leaking what they thought was amniotic fluid, but my tests turned out positive for amnioctic fluid when they checked me at the hospital but it was just a tiny amount.

Turns out I was just peeing.

They also did that Fetal test for me and said it was positive this was over 3 weeks ago now more like 1 month ago now.

Have I had the baby yet.....NOPE. Now I am 7 days overdue.

Still peeing when I walk and almost IMMEDIATELY after I go to the bathroom I again piddle some or have more than just a piddle. LOL

My OB says that loosing your control of your bladder is totally normal during pregnancy it's just from the baby growing and pushing on things and just being so full all the time. Hence why you have to pee every 10 seconds it seems.

So it seems totally normal to me and since her tests for the amniotic fluid turned out fine then I don't think it's amniotic fluid but just pee those tests are pretty acurate.

The color of amniotic fluid is more straw like isn't it so not totally clear.

I have also had the spotting just the cervix ripening and opening a little bit etc. Normal too from what I have been told.

I do hope everything is fine. If she is still worried she should definately see her OB again when she gets home.

[nothing_butt_cloth]

FFn will help determine if you will go into active labor in 2 weeks. When i got my pos my docs didnt wiat. they put me on meds and best rest right away. One pos i have was with emma, she was 25 weeks, and i was 3 cm and 80% and iw as contracting3-4 min apart.they were able to stopit and i was in the hosptial on Mag sulfate, and i carried to 41 weeks. I cannot belivet hey didnteven put her on meds. my docs belive that if the FFN comes up positive, whi wait and see.Because of my history of pre term labor, my docs want to start testing me every 2 weeks from the tiem i hit 24 weeks. if it comes back neg, then i am good to go for 2 weeks, if it comes back pos, then meds and bedrest..
With her issues, she really needs to be seeing good high risk docs..