How to Use At-Home Vaginal pH Tests

A vaginal pH test can tell you how acidic or alkaline (basic) your vaginal secretions are. You can measure your vaginal pH level at home with a test. Elevated pH levels can be a sign of a vaginal infection.

This article explains how to use an at-home vaginal pH test, the goals of testing, and how to interpret your results.

What Is a Vaginal Ph Test?

You can buy an over-the-counter (OTC) vaginal pH test kit at your local pharmacy. It comes with a vaginal swab, pH test paper, and a chart to help you understand the results. Based on what the test says, you may need to follow up with your healthcare provider for diagnosing and treating a vaginal condition.

Why Vaginal pH Is Important

The pH level of the vagina matters because if the balance is off—that is, too acidic or not acidic enough—it will have a negative effect on the health of the vagina. 

The vagina needs to be a little acidic because this helps keep bacteria and other infection-causing organisms like yeast from growing. A vaginal pH that’s too high or low can make inflammation and infections more likely.

When to Test Your Vaginal pH

You may want to test your vaginal pH if you are having unusual vaginal symptoms, such as itching, burning, a foul vaginal odor, or abnormal vaginal discharge.

At-home vaginal pH tests can help you decide whether or not you may need medical treatment. However, know that an at-home test will not help diagnose sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like HIV, chlamydia, herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, or group B streptococcus.

When people have unusual vaginal symptoms, one of the first things that comes to mind is a vaginal yeast infection. If you have symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection, an at-home vaginal pH test may not be abnormal. However, taking the test can help you rule out other vaginal infections. Even if you're pretty sure you have a yeast infection, you may still want to talk to your provider before you treat it on your own with OTC medication.

Test Instructions

A home vaginal pH test kit usually includes a piece of pH test paper and a color chart to help you understand the results. You do the test by placing a piece of test paper against the wall of your vagina so it gets covered in secretions. Then, you'll compare the color change on the paper to a reference chart.

Interpreting the Results

If your test comes with a color reference chart, all you have to do is compare the color of the test strip to the chart to see what the pH value is. Some tests will only read "normal" (white) or "abnormal" (blue/green).

For color reference kits, vaginal acidity/alkalinity is measured on a scale of 1 to 14. Normal vaginal pH is 3.8 to 4.5 (slightly acidic). Abnormal values are higher or lower than that range. More specifically, higher ranges are more alkaline, and lower ranges are more acidic.

Abnormal vaginal pH can be a sign of a vaginal infection. However, not all vaginal infections cause changes to vaginal pH levels. Having a normal vaginal pH test does not mean that you do not have a vaginal infection.

If your vaginal pH is higher than normal, you likely have bacterial vaginosis (BV) and not a yeast infection. That means an OTC yeast infection medication will not treat your BV. Instead, you'll need to see your healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.

If your vaginal pH is normal or below normal and you've had vaginal yeast infections before (that a provider diagnosed) you can try one of the OTC medications for vaginal yeast infections to see if it clears up your symptoms. If OTC treatments don't help, you'll want to see your provider.

Summary

An at-home vaginal pH test is a quick and easy way to find out how acidic or alkaline your vaginal secretions are. Knowing your vaginal pH level can help you figure out if unusual symptoms you're having could be from a vaginal infection. Based on your test results, you can decide if you want to try OTC treatments or if you need to give your provider a call.