Abstract: The present invention provides an early, biochemical indication of increased risk of impending preterm delivery. The method comprises obtaining a cervicovaginal secretion sample from a pregnant patient after week 12 of gestation and determining the level of a local inflammatory product protein in the sample. The presence of an elevated level of the selected protein in the sample indicates an increased risk of delivery. The test is a screening assay that can detect women at risk of imminent delivery, as early as two to three weeks prior to delivery.

Abstract: The present invention provides an early, biochemical indication of increased risk of impending delivery. The method is particularly useful to identify those pregnant women who are at increased risk for preterm delivery and can also be used to identify those women at risk for a post-date delivery. The method comprises obtaining a cervicovaginal secretion sample from a pregnant patient after week 12 of gestation and determining the level of total fibronectin in the sample. The presence of an elevated fibronectin level in the sample indicates an increased risk of delivery. The test detects greater than 80% of women who deliver prematurely, as early as two to three weeks prior to delivery.