Does recent sexual intercourse during pregnancy affect the results of the fetal fibronectin rapid test? A comparative prospective study
-
Gilles Faron
,
Ronald Buyl
Abstract
Objective: We conducted a prospective comparative cohort study to determinate the influence of coitus on quantitative fetal fibronectin test results under normal pregnancy conditions. We also compared values obtained in cervical and vaginal secretions.
Methods: In a population of women with normal singleton pregnancies between 22 and 28 weeks gestation, we have performed (cervical and vaginal) quantitative fetal fibronectin tests in two separate groups classified according to timing after coitus (one group of women had intercourse within 24 h before sampling and the control group had intercourse >24 h before sampling). The main outcome measures were the proportion of positive tests in both groups and the correlation between cervical and vaginal values through the Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results: Both groups were similar in terms of general characteristics and pregnancy outcomes. The proportions of positive results in the vaginal secretions were 7.5% and 25.0% (P=0.007) in the control and coitus group, respectively. In the cervical secretions, the proportions of positive tests were greater, but not statistically different (39.7% and 40.0%, respectively). The Pearson correlation coefficients were very low (<0.3) indicating poor correlation between both sampling locations. Even if the cervical values were generally greater than the vaginal values, they were lower in 26% of the women.
Conclusions: Coitus definitely interferes with vaginal fetal fibronectin test results. In cervical secretions, the positive rate was so high that coitus had no influence, but cervical sampling in this location should be avoided.
References
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The authors stated that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.
©2015 by De Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Erich Saling – The Father of Prenatal and Perinatal Medicine—Dedication to his 90th birthday
- Original articles - Obstetrics
- A transcervical amniotic fluid collector: a new medical device for the assessment of amniotic fluid in patients with ruptured membranes
- Advanced cervical dilatation and spontaneous preterm labor: a comparison between twin and singleton gestations
- Comparison of a novel test for placental alpha microglobulin-1 with fetal fibronectin and cervical length measurement for the prediction of imminent spontaneous preterm delivery in patients with threatened preterm labor
- Does recent sexual intercourse during pregnancy affect the results of the fetal fibronectin rapid test? A comparative prospective study
- Usefulness of maternal serum C-reactive protein with vaginal Ureaplasma urealyticum as a marker for prediction of imminent preterm delivery and chorioamnionitis in patients with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes
- Effect of blood on ROM diagnosis accuracy of PAMG-1 and IGFBP-1 detecting rapid tests
- Single versus combination tocolytic regimen in the prevention of preterm births in women: a prospective cohort study
- Recommendations of activity restriction in high-risk pregnancy scenarios: a Danish national survey
- Is pharmacologic research on pregnant women with psychoses ethically permissible?
- Women’s knowledge and attitude towards pregnancy in a high-income developing country
- Impact of maternal body mass index on the cesarean delivery rate in Germany from 1990 to 2012
- Justified skepticism about Apgar scoring in out-of-hospital birth settings
- The effect of the use of oxytocin on blood loss during different postpartum periods
- Original articles - Fetus
- The T/QRS ratio values in pregnancies complicated by threatened preterm labour treated with intravenous infusions of fenoterol
- Cardiotocography patterns and risk of intrapartum fetal acidemia
- Combined spinal epidural analgesia for labor using sufentanil epidurally versus intrathecally: a retrospective study on the influence on fetal heart trace
- Original articles - Newborn
- Predicting fetal growth deviation in parous women: combining the birth weight of the previous pregnancy and third trimester ultrasound scan
- Letter to the Editor
- A cerclage is not a modified total cervical occlusion!
- Letter Reply
- Reply to: a cerclage is not a modified Total Cervical Occlusion!
- Congress Calendar
- Congress Calendar
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Editorial
- Erich Saling – The Father of Prenatal and Perinatal Medicine—Dedication to his 90th birthday
- Original articles - Obstetrics
- A transcervical amniotic fluid collector: a new medical device for the assessment of amniotic fluid in patients with ruptured membranes
- Advanced cervical dilatation and spontaneous preterm labor: a comparison between twin and singleton gestations
- Comparison of a novel test for placental alpha microglobulin-1 with fetal fibronectin and cervical length measurement for the prediction of imminent spontaneous preterm delivery in patients with threatened preterm labor
- Does recent sexual intercourse during pregnancy affect the results of the fetal fibronectin rapid test? A comparative prospective study
- Usefulness of maternal serum C-reactive protein with vaginal Ureaplasma urealyticum as a marker for prediction of imminent preterm delivery and chorioamnionitis in patients with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes
- Effect of blood on ROM diagnosis accuracy of PAMG-1 and IGFBP-1 detecting rapid tests
- Single versus combination tocolytic regimen in the prevention of preterm births in women: a prospective cohort study
- Recommendations of activity restriction in high-risk pregnancy scenarios: a Danish national survey
- Is pharmacologic research on pregnant women with psychoses ethically permissible?
- Women’s knowledge and attitude towards pregnancy in a high-income developing country
- Impact of maternal body mass index on the cesarean delivery rate in Germany from 1990 to 2012
- Justified skepticism about Apgar scoring in out-of-hospital birth settings
- The effect of the use of oxytocin on blood loss during different postpartum periods
- Original articles - Fetus
- The T/QRS ratio values in pregnancies complicated by threatened preterm labour treated with intravenous infusions of fenoterol
- Cardiotocography patterns and risk of intrapartum fetal acidemia
- Combined spinal epidural analgesia for labor using sufentanil epidurally versus intrathecally: a retrospective study on the influence on fetal heart trace
- Original articles - Newborn
- Predicting fetal growth deviation in parous women: combining the birth weight of the previous pregnancy and third trimester ultrasound scan
- Letter to the Editor
- A cerclage is not a modified total cervical occlusion!
- Letter Reply
- Reply to: a cerclage is not a modified Total Cervical Occlusion!
- Congress Calendar
- Congress Calendar
