Therefore, if the membranes have ruptured, the pH of the sample of vaginal fluid will be higher than normal.

Amniotic fluid has a higher pH of 7.1 to 7.3. Normal vaginal pH is between 4.5 and 6.0. This test involves testing the pH of a sample of vaginal fluid. This allows them to examine the inside of the vagina and to collect fluid directly from the vagina. They will insert the speculum into the vagina and gently spread apart the vaginal walls. Your health care provider will collect some fluid from the vagina using a medical tool called a speculum in order to do most of these tests. Since the fluids might be contaminated with blood or other secretions, these tests look for substances or certain characteristics that are normally only found in amniotic fluid. Tests for PROM involve analyzing vaginal secretions to determine if amniotic fluid is present. They will then order tests to help confirm PROM or PPROM. Your health care provider will examine you and observe the fluid coming from the vagina. And as the results are stable for at least two hours there is often time for the woman to get to her midwife or doctor and show them the results.”ĪmnioSense can be used by women at any stage of their pregnancy who have unidentified vaginal wetness and by those at high risk of premature rupture of membranes.If you suspect that your water has broken and there is fluid leaking from the vagina, your health care provider will need to confirm that the membranes have actually ruptured. In addition, as the panty-liner can be worn for up to 12 hours, it is very efficient at detecting small, slow leaks of amniotic fluid. “For professionals, AmnioSense gives the reassurance that a leak is not caused by amniotic fluid, without the need for an intimate exam.

If the wetness is due to amniotic fluid the blue-green colour will remain for at least two hours.Ĭommunity Midwife, Emma Herbert who has been trialling AmnioSense with 15 mums to be so far says: “AmnioSense gives women control by providing a simple, effective, trustworthy and non-invasive test which allows them to differentiate between a pregnancy niggle and a potentially serious pregnancy complication. The AmnioSense strip has reagents, which react differently to ammonia, and if the liner does change colour due to urine, it will then fade within 10 minutes. Though the pH of urine ranges from 4.0 to 8 3, it also contains ammonia. The strip is also able to eliminate any false readings caused by incontinence. Amniotic fluid has a pH of 6.7 or more, while normal vaginal secretions are 3.5 to 4.5. If the strip in the panty-liner comes into contact with moisture with a pH of more than 6.5, it will turn a blue-green colour. ĪmnioSense contains a two-stage diagnostic polymer strip within a panty-liner that can tell if a pregnant woman is leaking amniotic fluid. What’s more is that a NICE review showed that in two out of five cases AmnioSense enabled an accurate diagnosis without the need for a physical examination of the cervix using a speculum. Clinical studies and an independent evaluation by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence), have confirmed the accuracy and effectiveness of AmnioSense. Previously, the only way to diagnose leaking amniotic fluid has been via a speculum and swab tests, but now AmnioSense, which is as accurate as hospital examinations* can be used. In fact, AmnioSense is so sensitive that it reacts to as little as 100 microlitres of amniotic fluid – the equivalent of two drops. This new product – AmnioSense TM – will help midwives to reliably exclude SROM/PROM/P-PROM without the need for speculum testing and provides a much more convenient, unobtrusive and less costly alternative to referring mums-to-be to a hospital setting for checking.ĪminoSense will also help mitigate worry for mothers-to-be, while quickly alerting expectant mums and healthcare professionals when there is a more urgent need for attention and action. Paul Stillman looks at a revolutionary new non-invasive product that detects leaking amniotic fluid

Ph test strips for amniotic fluid