Nonintrusive Diagnosis of Premature Ruptured Amniotic Membranes Using a Novel Polymer

ABSTRACT

This article describes the evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy of AL-SENSE panty-liner in detecting premature rupture of membranes (PROM). One hundred and three women attending the labor and delivery ward were enrolled into three groups: women presenting with a vaginal leak of fluid who had not yet been examined; women with overt PROM, and women with no fluid leak. The result of the AL-SENSE strip test was compared with the clinical diagnosis, which was based on direct visualization of the posterior vaginal fornix and cervix, crystallization, and nitrazine tests. AL-SENSE panty-liner test had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 75% in detecting PROM, with an overall agreement of 82.35% between the AL-SENSE test result and the clinical diagnosis. AL-SENSE may be used as a reliable test to rule out PROM and as an effective device to diagnose PROM and differentiate it from urine leak and vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) - diagnosis - chorioamnionitis - polymer - panty-liner - pH - nitrazine - ferning - AL-SENSE

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