A medical test that can predict whether a woman is going into premature labour will soon be used across the territory, Nunavut Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq says.
When labour is about to begin, the womb releases a protein called fetal fibronectin. If the fetal-fibronectin test shows no sign of the protein, the likelihood of a woman going into labour within the next seven days is almost zero.
During the two-year pilot project, the test saved the cost of flying women to hospital when there were false signs of premature delivery.
Aglukkaq said the test was used 75 times during the pilot project.
"A review of its use by Dr. Sandy MacDonald, the medical director for the Department of Health and Social Services, has shown that the test saved approximately 45 emergency medevacs," she said.
"In addition to helping expectant mothers and their babies, it has also saved the department over $400,000 in medevacs in the last two years."
Aglukkaq said that the department has bought more devices for performing the fetal-fibronectin test, and they will be installed in most health centres across the territory during the next two months.
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