title: Improved management in threatened preterm labour with rapid fetal fibronectin testing.
abstract: Recently, a new rapid system for fetal fibronectin (fFN) analysis (TLI(IQ)) has been developed with accuracy equal to the gold standard, ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) testing. The objective of this quality improvement project was to confirm that a reduction in intervention and a reduced length of stay did occur, as expected, after the testing of fFN was introduced at a tertiary referral hospital (National Women's Hospital) for women in threatened preterm labour. There was a reduction in investigation and treatment of women after fFN was introduced. The average length of stay reduced from 3.8 to 2.9 days after testing was introduced. For the women who were fFN negative, the average length of stay was 1.7 days.
authors.affiliation: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. e.parry@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.forename: Thakur Geeta
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dow
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Noovao
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000032:analysis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D009520:New Zealand; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins