A widely used test that determines whether women are in premature labour has been discontinued, and doctors say losing access could put further strain on emergency transport services in rural and remote areas.
Test used to assess signs of premature labour will no longer be available, leaving pregnant women in rural and remote areas at riskTest used to assess signs of premature labour will no longer be available, leaving pregnant women in rural and remote areas at riskThe US company that manufactures a test to help assess whether pregnant women are in early labour is discontinuing the product.
The rapid fetal fibronectin test kits give doctors a reliable indication of whether women are in labour before their due dates.The swab is placed on a cassette and inserted into a machine that provides a numeric reading. Low numbers indicate the woman is not in labour, while higher readings suggest that birth could occur within the week.Kym Clemence presented with contractions 27 weeks into her pregnancy at Bairnsdale hospital, in Victoria's East Gippsland region.
"You can go based on what your clinical judgement is but … sometimes your confidence level, based on the information that you have, can be quite variable.The tests have also been useful when patients appear to be contracting but are instead suffering from something such as an irritable uterus or gastro. It ensures those women don't get triaged and unnecessarily sent to bigger hospitals.
In his experience, sending First Nations women thousands of kilometres away from home in case they give birth early can have emotional, economic and cultural consequences.Heavily pregnant women living in remote locations across Australia need to pack their bags and head to hospital to give birth: far away from family, culture, community, and connection.
Birth Pre-Term Labour Premature Birth Premature Babies Rapid Fetal Fibronectin Fetal Fibronectin Ffn Test Rural Regional Health Care Midwifery
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