Ruptured Membranes: What to Do & When to Worry - Expert Advice

Question
Hi there, I thought I had broken my water since I felt a large gush of fulid that really wet my underwear...but it was not a copious anount running down my legs or anything. I called the hospital and they said to come in and they could check.They used a little paper that they placed over the vaginal area and I was told that no, it was not my water, there was not much change in the color of the paper. My question is..I had a shower before running to the hospital ( just in case)..could this have caused the paper to not change ? And is it possible to have a leak as a gush and then no more ?

Answer
Sometimes, you can have a "high leak" of amniotic fluid that seals off and then shows no evidence of rupture. Certainly, a shower may have interfered with the Nitrazine Paper test at the hospital. The correct method of ruling out ruptured membranes is to do a speculum examination of the vagina and to place a little piece of Nitrazine paper at the entrance of the cervix. If you have ruptured, it will turn black. If the test is equivacal, or if it is negative but you thought you saw a "gush", some of the secretions should be taken from your vagina and looked at through a microsocope for "ferning", which is diagnostic for rupture of membranes. Sometimes, a "gush" can merely be urine. If you notice any more fluid, have them check it again (preferably before you shower).