Preterm birth (PTB) is one of the biggest problems in modern obstetrics, as it is responsible for the majority of perinatal mortality and adverse long-term neurological outcomes. For spontaneous...
Description
Preterm birth (PTB) is one of the biggest problems in modern obstetrics, as it is responsible for the majority of perinatal mortality and adverse long-term neurological outcomes. For spontaneous preterm labour (PTL) without rupture of membranes, the majority of women presenting with symptoms will go on to deliver at term. Thus, the challenge in practise is to correctly identify those women who are in true preterm labour and will deliver preterm. The fetal fibronectin (fFN) test is a diagnostic test that can be used to help diagnose PTL in women. The primary advantage of the test is its simplicity of use and the strong negative predictive value. This potentially gives the ability to more accurately identify those women who are in true preterm labour, and who therefore need to be transferred and treated. The objectives of this report was to review the published literature examining the economic impact of fFN test, and to examine the cost implications of fetal fibronectin testing in...