Expierience with nitrazine paper?

[MeghanB]

Ok, so this is going to sound bad, but do any of you have experience with nitrazine paper?

I kinda took a piece from the Drs office so I could test for my water breaking at home before bothering them. I looked on the box to see what color the paper should be. Dark Blue.

Last night I felt like I had a slow leak of my waters. I had the same with my first DS.

This morning I tested, and the strip came out blue, but the more I rubbed the fluid on there, the more the strip turned back to the original yellow. Is that normal, or could it be a false positive? I know they say if it is my waters I should start labor within 12-24 hours, but my body doesn't seem to produce enough oxytocin in order to keep labor going. I HATE calling the Drs and bothering them, especially since the last time I felt a GUSH it wasn't my waters and I was so disappointed.

Oh, I'm 38 weeks along, btw.

 

[BabySeal]

I found this on a website:

"Normal vaginal secretions have a pH of 4.5 to 5.5, whereas amniotic fluid has a pH of 7.0 to 7.5. When the membranes rupture, the amniotic fluid leaks into the vagina and raises the pH of the vaginal secretions.
If pH paper color is yellow to olive green, the corresponding pH is 4.5 to 6.0. The test is negative for amniotic fluid.
If pH paper color is blue-green to deep blue, the corresponding pH is 6.5 to 7.5. The test is positive for amniotic fluid.
The Nitrazine test is highly sensitive but not very specific."

https://www.stpetes.org/html/pointofcare/Procedures/pH paper.html

 

[KandyKinz]

It generally turns VERY dark blue, almost like a black and I've never seen it go back to yellow. There's lots of things that can cause false positives causing a lighter blue or even a very dark blue like semen (even if it's days old), some women's urine, certain bacteria's in the vagina..... Best way to determine if it really is amniotic fluid is the ferning test so unless you have a microscope on hand if you are concerned you should just call your midwives.

 

[BabySeal]

Hope it helps.. but dont be worried to call your doctor.. thats what they are there for good luck!

 

[Babybear1985]

never even knew you could test for this kinda thing.....where do you get the paper from? can you ask the midwife or doctor for it, might useful to have in later pregnancy?xx

 

[herewego]

Hey sweety,

I'd say if you have any doubt at all as to whether its your waters starting to go, get to either your GPs or maternity assessment unit - they'll do a speculum exam and will be able to tell for sure whether thats what it is. Not had any experience with nitrazine paper, but did ask my midwife about it and she hadn't even HEARD of it ('nuff said on that front I feel). At 38 weeks you may be ready to go...

 

[MeghanB]

Thanks ladies! I have to wait for my mil to get off work so she can watch my DS so I can go to the hospital to get tested. I'll let ya know how it goes!