Quantitative cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin as a predictor of cervical ripening and induced labour duration in late-term pregnancy

Figures & data

Table 1. Clinical Characteristics of Study Participants.

Variable	Study Participants		X^2	p-value
	Nulliparous n (%)	Multiparous n (%)
	110 (72.4)	42 (27.6)
Age (years)
<25	10 (9.1)	0 (0.0)	4.29	0.117
25–34	84 (76.3)	34 (81.0)
≥35	16 (14.5)	8 (18.0)
Mean age 30.4 ± 4.3 years
Cervical ripening duration
≤12 hours	24 (21.8)	26 (38.1)	4.15	0.042
>12 hours	86 (78.2)	16 (61.9)
Duration of labour
≤12 hours	98 (89.1)	38 (90.5)	0.06	0.533
>12 hours	12 (10.9)	4 (9.5)
Duration of induction of labour
≤24 hours	78 (70.9)	31 (73.8)	0.13	0.723
>24 hours	32 (29.1)	11 (26.2)
Outcome
SVD*	75 (65.5)	37 (95.2)	13.9	0.000
EMLSCS**	35 (34.5)	5 (4.8)

*Spontaneous Vertex Delivery, X²: Chi-square; **Emergency Lower Segment Caesarean Section.

Table 2. Comparison of median values of clinical characteristics based on parity.

Variable	Nulliparous (110)	Multiparous (42)	U	p-Value
Foetal fibronectin (ng/ml)	45.35	46.93	2053.0	0.289
Cervical ripening duration (hours)	15.3	14.3	1910.0	0.090
Duration of labour (hours)	7.10	6.45	2155.0	0.523
Total duration of labour induction (hours)	22.05	20.02	1929.0	0.116

U: Mann–Whitney U test.

Table 3. Association between fibronectin level and duration of cervical ripening and labour.

Cervical ripening duration		Fibronectin Level		X^2	p-value
		n (%)	n (%)
Nulliparous		≤9.975 ng/ml	>9.975 ng/ml
	≤12 hours (24)	20 (32.8)	4 (8.2)	9.659	0.002
	>12 hours (86)	41 (67.2)	45 (91.8)
	Total (110)	61 (55.5)	49 (44.5)
Multiparous
	≤12 hours (14)	11 (44.0)	3 (17.6)	3.162	0.075
	>12 hours (28)	14 (56.0)	14 (82.4)
	Total (42)	25 (59.5)	17 (40.5)
Labour duration
Nulliparous		≤ 8.425 ng/ml	>8.425 ng/ml	2.967	0.072
	≤12 hours (95)	34 (94.4)	61 (82.4)
	>12 hours (15)	2 (5.6)	13 (17.6)
	Total (110)	36 (32.7)	74 (67.3)
Multiparous
	≤12 hours (41)	9 (100.0)	32 (97.0)	0.279	0.786
	>12 hours (1)	0 (0.0)	1 (3.0)
	Total (42)	9 (22.0)	33 (78.0)
Total labour duration*
Nulliparous		≤10.29 ng/ml	>10.29 ng/ml
	≤24 hours (76)	45 (70.3)	31 (67.4)	0.107	0.744
	>24 hours (34)	19 (29.7)	15 (32.6)
	Total (110)	64 (58.2)	46 (41.8)
Multiparous
	≤24 hours (29)	20 (80.0)	9 (69.0)	3.467	0.063
	>24 hours (13)	5 (20.0)	8 (47.1)
	Total (42)	25 (59.5)	17 (40.5)

X²: Chi-square, *total duration of cervical ripening and labour.

Foetal fibronectin cut-offs used were determined using the Youden’s index.

Figure 1. Scatter plot showing correlation between cervicovaginal foetal fibronectin level and duration of cervical ripening in nulliparous women.

Figure 2. Scatter plot showing correlation between cervicovaginal foetal fibronectin level and duration of cervical ripening in multiprous women.

Figure 3. Receiver Operating Characteristics curve for cervicovaginal fibronectin as a predictor of cervical ripening duration >12 hours.

Data availability statement

Study data not available.