Has the use of home monitors, fetal fibronectin, and measurement of cervical length helped predict labor and/or prevent preterm delivery in twins?
Publication/Presentation Date
3-1-1998
Abstract
Home monitoring accurately detects contractions, and thus is useful in predicting preterm labor. Appropriate physician action is necessary to significantly prolong pregnancy even in the presence of evidence of excessive contractions. Despite conflicting studies, the majority of evidence heavily favors the use of monitoring as part of a comprehensive preterm birth prevention program. Indeed, monitoring has greater clinical utility in twin gestations because of the recognized propensity for preterm labor. Fetal fibronectin is one of the most sensitive and specific markers for preterm labor and subsequent early delivery presently available. It appears to be equally effective in multifetal gestations compared with singleton gestations, but intervention trials are needed to substantiate its clinical effectiveness. Cervical status monitoring by ultrasound correlates inversely with preterm labor, but studies in twin gestation are currently lacking. Other markers, such as salivary estriol for preterm labor, have yet to be assessed as predictors of preterm labor among multifetal gestations.
Volume
41
Issue
1
First Page
94
Last Page
102
ISSN
0009-9201
Published In/Presented At
Roberts, W. E., & Morrison, J. C. (1998). Has the use of home monitors, fetal fibronectin, and measurement of cervical length helped predict labor and/or prevent preterm delivery in twins?. Clinical obstetrics and gynecology, 41(1), 94–102. https://doi.org/10.1097/00003081-199803000-00015
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
9504228
Department(s)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Document Type
Article