Citation
Nowacek, George E.; Meyer, William R.; McMahon, Michael J.; Thorp, John M., Jr.; & Wells, Steven R. (1999). Diagnostic Value of Cervical Fetal Fibronectin in Detecting Extrauterine Pregnancy. Fertility and Sterility, 72(2), 302-304.Abstract
Objective: To determine whether fetal fibronectin (FFN) might serve as a marker to distinguish intrauterine versus extrauterine pregnancy.Design: Prospective cohort study.
Setting: Academic research center.
Patient(s): Cervicovaginal FFN samples were obtained from 46 women who were at high risk for or presented with signs and/or symptoms of extrauterine pregnancy.
Intervention(s): Samples of blood were analyzed for FFN with use of an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA).
Main outcome measure(s): Fetal fibronectin level.
Result(s): The rate of extrauterine pregnancy in our study was 26.1%, with 12 extrauterine and 34 intrauterine pregnancies identified by ultrasonography or at time of surgery. Seventeen samples had FFN levels of > 50 ng/mL and were considered positive (range, 0-1,000 ng/mL). Positive FFN levels were observed in 41.7% (5 of 12) of women with extrauterine pregnancies versus 35.3%) (12 of 34) of women with intrauterine pregnancies. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for extrauterine pregnancy were 41.7%, 64.7%, 29.4%, and 75.9%, respectively.
Conclusion(s): The use of FFN does not appear to alter significantly the likelihood of identifying extrauterine pregnancy over current laboratory or ultrasonographic methods.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0015-0282(99)00224-1Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
1999Journal Title
Fertility and SterilityAuthor(s)
Nowacek, George E.Meyer, William R.
McMahon, Michael J.
Thorp, John M., Jr.
Wells, Steven R.