Friday, December 12, 2008

Let the bed rest continue...

So I went to the Dr today and he decided to run a fFN test on me. Here is a little definition of what fFN is according to the March or Dimes:

Fetal fibronectin (fFN) is a protein produced during pregnancy and functions as a biological glue, attaching the fetal sac to the uterine lining. During the first trimester and for about half of the second trimester (up to 22 weeks of gestation), fFN is normally present in the cervico-vaginal secretions of pregnant women. In most pregnancies, after 22 weeks, this protein is no longer detected until the end of the last trimester (one to three weeks before labor).

The presence of fFN during weeks 24-34 of a high-risk pregnancy, along with symptoms of labor, suggests that the "glue" may be disintegrating ahead of schedule and alerts doctors to a possibility of preterm delivery.


Or the way the way Dr E described it to me is: They test to see if your body is starting to prepare for labor. If the test comes back negative, there is less than a 1% chance that you will go into labor in the next 2 weeks. However, if the test comes back positive it does mean that you are at an increased risk of going into labor in the next 2 weeks, but it's NOT a guarantee. Basically a negative result is a really good thing (especially since he was going to take me off my meds and bed rest if it was negative) but a positive result does not mean you are DOOMED to have your baby in the next 14 days.

Well you may have already guessed based on the title of this entry, my test came back positive. So now I am at an increased risk of going into labor over the next two weeks, so I have to stay on my meds AND bed rest for a while longer. I have to reiterate, this test does NOT mean that I WILL go into labor, but just that I am at an increased risk. The goal is to stay on the meds and bedrest and to try to put off labor for AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, whether that be 2 weeks or 12 weeks from now.

I honestly thought my test would come back negative. I thought that all this preterm labor stuff was just one big misunderstanding. Like maybe my uterus some how made up this big lie just to get some extra attention from the Dr while I was in the hospital for my "kidney infection". I guess not!

I guess this really is REAL!!!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well I pray you don't go into labor! If you get bored and want to ramble someone's ear off - email anytime! :)

mrsperez915@aol.com

Take care and take it easy!

Mrs. Not-so-Domesticated said...

Hello, I found your blog and wanted to say congratulations! Sorry to hear that your test came back positive, but definitely listen to your docs and stay on bedrest. Hopefully your little man will be patient and wait a while longer...Take care!

Erin said...

Ugh! I am sorry you are still stuck on bedrest :(

Anonymous said...

Noooo fun my poor friend!!! At least that little boy is OK and doing well, you are already such an amazing and awesome mommy! I will pray that your test comes back different next time allowing you to get out of bedrest so you can enjoy the rest of your pregnancy! Love ya girlie :o)

jlc said...

Praying for the rest of your pregnancy. Stay in bed lady. Hope the little guy will wait a bit more. :)

Ms. Wedding How To said...

Aly,

My name is Amanda Lazaro, and I’m a member of the public relations team that raises awareness for FullTerm, The Fetal Fibronectin test. I read your blog with interest and thought you might like to learn more about the test. Check out www.fullterm.net, and feel free to include the site as a link on your blog so that readers can access the information.

Additionally, if you’re interested in helping us spread awareness about the benefits of the FullTerm Test, please contact me by emailing fullterm@schwartz-pr.com. My team generates stories about managing high risk pregnancies in national, local and online outlets. In the last few months we’ve secured stories in Working Mother magazine, the FitPregnancy Blog and the Boston Parent’s Paper. Most recently we secured the following article on the Lively Women Blog: http://www.livelywomen.com/2008/12/05/interview-prevention-of-preterm-births/#more-1458

We’re always interested in speaking with women who had the test and are willing to share their experience to make sure other pregnant women know there is a test available, for those at high-risk, to help predict premature birth.

I hope to hear from you.

Regards,
Amanda

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