Vaginal fetal fibronectin and maternal dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels as selection criteria for induction of labour: a correlation study with bishop score

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the predictive efficacy of two biochemical markers, the vaginal fetal fibronectin and maternal dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate for the fate of labor induction attempt. The reliability as well as the efficacy of their use together with Bishop score as selection criteria for induction of labor were also assessed. One hundred women with singleton pregnancies above 37 weeks gestation and with various indications for induction of labor with no signs of maternal of fetal compromise were enrolled in this study. After clinical assessment and fulfillment of selection criteria, patients were randomly allocated in two equal groups to have either vaginal fetal fibronectin [FFN] [GI=50] or maternal serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEAS] [GII=50] as a biochemical marker. Prior to induction of labor, all women were subjected to a detailed medical history, clinical examination including the cervical Bishop scoring, ultrasonographic assessment and estimation of the offered biochemical marker in each group. Induction-active phase interval was measured for all participants. The main outcome measures were mean concentrations of vaginal [FFN] and maternal [DHEAS], bishop score and induction-active phase interval. From this study, it was concluded that both fetal fibronectin and maternal dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate are effective predictors of the induction-active phase interval