Research backs non-invasive test for ruptured membranes
Thursday, 09 Oct 2008 09:23
Research has confirmed the reliability of a non-invasive test for spontaneous rupture of membranes in pregnant women
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New research has confirmed the reliability of a non-invasive test that can assist clinicians to exclude spontaneous rupture of membranes in pregnant women.
The findings published in the BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology could result in savings for the NHS, the authors claim.
The study, conducted by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, looked at the reliability of a non-invasive absorbent pad, AmnioSense, in detecting spontaneous rupture of membranes in women over 18 weeks pregnant.
The pad was compared with speculum examination, which is the current method used to detect spontaneous rupture of membranes. Speculum examination allows clinicians to visualise pooling of liquor in the vagina, however, many women find this procedure intrusive.
Experts claim the detection of spontaneous rupture of membranes is important because both mother and baby are at a risk of infection once the membranes surrounding the baby have ruptured.
The study found that the pad had a negative predictive value of 98 per cent meaning that negative tests can provide reassurance of intact membranes.
The positive predictive value was found to be 67 per cent, meaning that a positive test may, or may not, be due to ruptured membranes.
Annette Briley, research midwife for the baby charity Tommy's, said: "All women with suspected spontaneous rupture of membranes in our area are referred to the Antenatal Day Unit for investigation, which includes a speculum examination.
"The findings of this research will mean that those women with a negative test will no longer have to undergo this invasive procedure."
Currently, hospital referral costs £147, compared to the AmnioSense pads which cost £1.50 each.
"If clinicians in both hospital and community used them, and only referred women with positive tests, this would result in significant time and resource savings, as many cases of suspected spontaneous rupture of membranes prove to be false alarms," Ms Briley added.