A comparison of speculum and nonspeculum collection of cervicovaginal specimens for fetal fibronectin testing.
OBJECTIVE
Current recommendations include the use of a vaginal speculum for fetal fibronectin specimen collection. This article evaluates the equivalency of nonspeculum methods for collecting fetal fibronectin specimens.


METHODS
Two separate prospective studies of patients more than 22 weeks' gestation were performed at 2 institutions with similar hypotheses and methods. Two sequential specimens were collected on each patient: 1 with speculum and 1 with the nonspeculum method. The order of collection was reversed or randomized in both studies. Two alternative nonspeculum collection methods are described.


RESULTS
The 2 study sample sizes were 169 and 31. Comparison of the fetal fibronectin test results between the speculum and nonspeculum methods demonstrated greater than 95% agreement with an intraclass Kappa coefficient greater than 0.85 in both studies. The order of collection did not result in significantly different fetal fibronectin averages.


CONCLUSIONS
These studies demonstrate that there is excellent agreement between fetal fibronectin results obtained by speculum and nonspeculum collection methods.
Stafford
Irene P
IP
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.
Garite
Thomas J
TJ
Dildy
Gary A
GA
Colon-Lucach
Alfredo
A
Williams
Catherine A
CA
Bobritchi
Becky
B
Lapointe
Jerome
J
Bloch
Daniel A
DA
D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014621:Vagina / Q000737:chemistry*
D005353:Fibronectins