FERN TEST

Rupture of membranes:
1- Patient history

2- Vaginal fluid with PH of 7.0 or greater

3- Positive fern test

Fern test is based on :

The ability of amniotic fluid to form

a fern pattern when air-dried on a
glass slide
 False positive :
1- Collection of cervical mucus (ferns in a coarse pattern)
2- Heavy contamination with blood(atypical, skeletonized )
3- Contamination with urine
4- Fingerprinted ( dirty) slides
5- Detergent contaminated slides, pipettes
6- Slide is dried under a circulating air current
7- Cytologic fixatives or preservatives are used
 False negative results :
1- Slide is examined before it is completely
dried
2- Prolonged rupture of membranes
(> 24 hrs )
3- When a small volume has leaked
Fern test should be performed in
conjunction with the
Nitrazine test
 Reference range :

Amniotic fluid has a PH of

7.0 7.5
Positive fern + positive Nitr. : ROM

Positive fern + negative Nitr. : ROM

Negative fern + positive Nitr. : Repeat the

test on another specimen
Negative fern + negative Nitr. : No amniotic
fluid