Pregnancy Update - 28 Weeks...

Two Sundays ago, I had a bout of braxon hicks contractions that lasted for several hours. I went to the hospital to be monitored and they also gave me a Fetal Fibronectin test (fFN) and it was negative which meant that I would not go into labor during the next 7 -10 days. What a relief! Since everything was okay, life has continued as normal (though I have been resting a lot, not cleaning, and not lifting the children). I was really hoping that I would be given the fFN test every week or so for the remainder of my pregnancy so that we would have some idea of whether I would go into pre-term labor. I was so happy that at my regularly scheduled doctor appointment yesterday, I not only found out that I had passed my glucose test (Phew!), but was going to be getting a second fFN test.


This morning, the nurse at the office called to say that the fFN test came back positive. From my reading, the fFN test is a bit more accurate when it is negative.

From Lab Test Online:
"Since there are risks associated with treating a woman for premature labor (in anticipation of a premature delivery), a negative fFN can reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and drug therapies.A positive fetal fibronectin test is less specific. It is associated with an increased risk for preterm delivery and with neonatal complications, but it will not tell a woman's doctor whether or not she will deliver early. A positive test suggests the need to monitor a symptomatic woman more closely."

Basically, we will be trying to determine the best ways to keep me pregnant longer. As of now, I am on bed rest.

Please pray for our family these next weeks. Sugar Plum and Little Man are doing really well. I know that things will get harder for them as time goes on... especially since they really don't understand why Mama is lying around and can't do the things that we usually do. It is a real blessing that Fr John works from home! I'll try to update as much as I can.