A new simple test for detecting rupture of the fetal membranes.

Obstetricians often have difficulty diagnosing rupture of fetal membranes because of several factors that interfere with the available tests. A new test is proposed herein, which is based on heating endocervical material on a glass slide for one minute. When the fetal membranes are ruptured, the material on the slide turns white; when they are intact, the material turns brown. The low cost, risk-free method is a simple procedure providing immediate results, thus making its use practical in daily practice.