Have you heard of homemade pregnancy tests? They may seem foreign at first, but they used to be widely used and accepted!
After all, our ancestors were just as anxious to know if they had a little one growing in their belly too! So they came up with some reasonably accurate tests to use to see if they were pregnant.
Of course, now we have drugstore style tests, but these tried and true natural methods may still be able to do the job just as well and with things you have right at home.
How DIY Pregnancy Test Methods Work
Each DIY pregnancy test works a little differently, but essentially they are all trying to create a chemical reaction with your urine.
Just as you would use urine in a drugstore test to create a reaction, these homemade tests are seeking to do the same thing with natural things around your home.
If you are pregnant, your body will start to create the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) hormone. If those levels are high in your urine, it should react differently with sugar, salt, and other household ingredients.
When to Consider a Homemade Pregnancy Test
The biggest reason that people decide to use a DIY pregnancy test versus a drugstore version is that it saves so much money. If you are struggling to get pregnant or find yourself needing to purchase several tests, it can really add up!
On the flip side, homemade tests will use things you likely already have on hand and will cost you virtually nothing!
There are other reasons to use a homemade test as well. You may be interested in a more natural pregnancy from start to finish including the test!
Homemade tests are also helpful if you are wanting to be discreet. The big drugstore boxes and tests aren’t exactly easy to cover up but you could easily toss these homemade tests without any suspicion.
Do DIY Pregnancy Test Methods Really Work?
The question you are probably asking yourself now is whether or not these tests actually work! The results are pretty mixed.
There haven’t been any serious research-based studies to back up these tests, mostly because the results are so subjective that it’s hard to track.
But people still swear by them! Your grandparents and great grandparents may have used these methods with great success.
If you do think you may be pregnant, you should always call your doctor for the most accurate results. In the meantime, try one or two of these tests for fun and see what kind of results you get!
Tips For a Successful Pregnancy Test
There are a few things that you can do to make sure you get a more accurate result.
First, it’s always helpful to take the test first thing in the morning because that urine should be less diluted which means plenty of HCG if you are pregnant.
You’ll also want to make sure that you use a clean cup so that there are no contaminants that could affect the chemical reaction.
Don’t forget that it takes time for your body to build up enough hormones to be found in your urine. Just like with drugstore tests, you will want to wait a couple of weeks after ovulation before taking any tests.
The 5 Most Popular Homemade Pregnancy Test Methods
Make sure you take safety precautions when doing these tests! Even though they are just a couple of ingredients, you are still creating reactions that may be harmful.
1: Sugar Test
To do the sugar pregnancy test, you are going to use equal parts of sugar and urine.
Pour the sugar into a clear container. Add the urine on top and wait a few minutes. The HCG in the urine will prevent the sugar from dissolving during the reaction. If you end up with clumps, it’s a positive result. If the sugar dissolves and leaves no clumps, it’s a negative result.
2: Bleach Test
For anything involving bleach you should be extra careful! Bleach is a chemical so you will want to wear a mask, gloves, or anything else to protect yourself.
To take the test, add a scoop of plain bleach powder to a cup of urine and gently mix them together. After a few minutes check the cup for foaming. If there is foaming it’s a positive result and if there is no foaming it’s a negative result.
3: Salt Test
The salt pregnancy test is done by placing equal parts of salt and urine in a cup. Without mixing them together, let the cup sit for a few minutes.
If the salt has clumped together, it’s a positive result. If the salt has instead dissolved you have a negative result.
4: Vinegar Test
Vinegar is so useful for so many things and now you can add pregnancy tests to that list!
To take the test, mix equal parts of vinegar and urine together and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. If the vinegar bubbles and changes color, you’ve got a positive result! If there are no big changes, you have a negative result.
5: Toothpaste Test
You can even use toothpaste to take a pregnancy test! Just grab any white-colored toothpaste and add a couple of tablespoons to a clean container.
Add the urine to the container and check the toothpaste for changes in color. The HCG should cause the toothpaste to foam and turn a blue color if you have a positive result. If there is no change, you have a negative result.
Give any of these tests a try and see what results you get! Using sugar, salt, bleach, vinegar, or toothpaste you may just find out that you have a little bundle of joy coming your way!
Have you tried a homemade pregnancy test? Share your experience in the comments!
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