Imagine you are a woman living in the 18th century. You may think that you are pregnant but you are not sure. What is going to do?
Enough of the fantasy. Becoming a mom is the most joyous thing in a woman’s life. However, the journey is never easy.
A pregnancy test signals the start of this journey. In the past, natural homemade pregnancy tests were the only option as there were no modern medical pregnancy kits.
BENEFITS OF HOME PREGNANCY TESTS
- They are cost-effective.
- They are easy to conduct as the required ingredients are on your shelves.
- Home tests are confidential. You can easily dispose of natural ingredients without drawing attention.
- It saves time as you take the test in the comfort of your home.
- There are no worries about the expiry date as the natural ingredients are usually fresh at the time of the test.
- Taking a pregnancy test at home confirms pregnancy fears and gives the motivation to take a visit to the hospital or pharmacy.
Best Pregnancy Tests to Take at Home
How do you run a pregnancy test at home? This must be the question burning you up.
Today, we have compiled 8 easy and natural ways of finding out your pregnancy status in the comfort of your home.
We want to give you unlimited choices in running the pregnancy tests. Let’s get started!
- Salt Pregnancy Test
Your kitchen shelf definitely has salt in it. Salt has existed from the start of time and so is this test. You don’t have to necessarily use the common table salt. You can try other salt varieties.
What You Will Need To Do The Salt Pregnancy Test
- a non-porous bowl or container to collect the urine.
- A cup or a transparent non-porous bowl to hold the mixture.
- At least 3 spoonsful of salt.
How To Do The Salt Pregnancy Test
- Place the spoonsful of salt in the clean and transparent cup or bowl.
- Collect at least 30 milliliters of fresh urine in the other container.
- Pour the pee over the salt.
- Wait.
The discussion on the time you should wait is always ambiguous. Some sources talk of a few minutes while others stick on several hours.
We are going for a time duration of 10 minutes to 3 hours maximum. The urine sample should be taken during the first-morning pee and the test conducted immediately.
How To Read The Results
If you are pregnant, the solution will be creamy white, milky, or cheesy. If nothing happens to the solutions, then probably you are not pregnant.
The explanation behind this change in color is a scientific claim that salt reacts with Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG). HCG is a hormone that is present only in the urine of a pregnant woman.
How Accurate is the Salt Pregnancy Test?
This method has no medical backing and research about it is inconclusive. ‘Laws of probability’ reveal that most cases on this test are confirmed to be true when the pharmacy pregnant tests are run.
Toothpaste Pregnancy Tests
Everyone brushes teeth at least once a day. If you have nothing else in your home, use toothpaste for the pregnancy test. This method is classified in the new entries as toothpaste came into existence several decades ago.
What You Will Need To Do The Toothpaste Pregnancy Tests
- 2 tablespoons of white toothpaste.
- Urine collected very early in the morning.
- A transparent bowl or container to hold the mixture.
How To Do The Toothpaste Pregnancy Tests
- Place the tablespoons of the toothpaste in a clean and transparent bowl.
- Add the collected urine to the container with the toothpaste.
- Thoroughly mix the mixture.
- Wait for the reaction to take place.
How To Read The Results
If the white toothpaste turns to a blue hue or becomes frothy, you are pregnant! The opposite is still true- no color change means you are not pregnant.
How accurate is This The Toothpaste Pregnancy Tests
80% of the tests turn up to be accurate. Although this method seems effective, challenges still accompany it.
Nobody knows the exact ratio that should be considered between the urine and the toothpaste. The waiting time is barely an estimation.
Dettol Pregnancy Test
Most households use Dettol regularly. The common uses of Dettol at home include disinfecting surfaces, rinsing the laundry, and disinfecting minor skin cuts.
If you use Dettol in your home, you can spare a few milliliters for the pregnancy taste.
What Do You Need To Take The Dettol Pregnancy Test
- At least 30 milliliters of Dettol.
- A transparent bowl or container.
- A sample of the first-morning urine.
How to Conduct The Dettol Pregnancy Test
- Place the Dettol in the transparent container.
- Add the urine as you shake the container gently.
- Wait for around 10 minutes.
How to Read The Test
If the urine and the Dettol concentration mix perfectly then you are not pregnant. In the case of the urine forming two immiscible layers, then you are pregnant!
How Accurate is This Dettol Pregnancy Test
Most of the pregnancy tests conducted this way turn up to be true. The ratio of the Dettol and the urine should be 3:1 for more accurate results.
Sugar Pregnancy Test
Even if everyone in your family is diabetic, you must have some sugar for the guest’s cup of tea or coffee. This test is similar to the salt test method. Back in the old days when there were no scientific pregnancy kits, this method was the savior.
What you will need for Sugar Pregnancy Test
- 4 tablespoons of sugar.
- A reasonable amount of fresh morning urine.
- A transparent container or bowl.
The Methodology
- Put the sugar in the transparent container.
- Add the urine.
- Stir gently.
- Wait for around 10 minutes.
How to read the tests
If you still see particles or traces of visible sugar lumps, congratulations! You are pregnant. The opposite is still true.
How accurate is this Sugar Pregnancy Test
The sugar test is as fairly accurate as the salt test. The explanation of the solution formed is based on the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG).
HCG is only found in the urine of pregnant women. The HCG does not dissolve sugar and that explains our results.
Baking powder or soda pregnancy test
Baking powder serves several purposes at home. The common use is making leavened bread. Taking away a few grams of it from the kitchen will not starve you.
What you need for Baking powder or soda pregnancy test
- Baking powder or baking soda.
- Fresh early morning urine.
- A transparent container.
How to conduct the Test
- Put the baking powder in the transparent container.
- Add the baking powder or soda. do not shake the mixture.
- There is no much waiting as the reaction is immediate.
Analyzing the results
For the baking powder, if the reaction produces bubbles or fizz, consider yourself pregnant. If there is no reaction as the solution mixes, you are yet to conceive.
The baking soda is used to check if the baby is a boy or a girl. If the solution is fizzling, you are probably having a boy. If there is an insignificant reaction, the baby I probably a girl.
How accurate is this Baking powder or soda pregnancy test
Unfortunately, the success rate of this test is below average. Try to avoid this test unless you are looking for fun.
WINE PREGNANCY TEST
Wine is expensive. It is not easily available for running experiments. But do you know that it can be used to run a pregnancy test? It is possible, now you know.
What you will need For WINE PREGNANCY TEST
- A transparent container or bowl.
- Fresh morning urine.
- Wine.
The methodology
- Pour wine into the container.
- Mix the urine and the wine in a ratio of 1:1.
- Wait for 15 to 20 minutes.
Analyzing the results
If the wine changes in color, you are probably pregnant. A small change in the color or no change signifies negative results.
How accurate is the WINE PREGNANCY TEST
The high cost of the wine is rewarded with fairly satisfying accurate results. For more reliable results make sure that the ratio of the urine and the wine is equal.
Tuna juice pregnancy test
This is one of the easiest and accurate home pregnancy tests.
What you will need for Tuna juice pregnancy test
- Canned tuna.
- White vinegar.
- A transparent container or bowl.
- A sample of urine collected first in the morning.
How to do this test
- Extract juice from the tuna and add it to the container.
- Estimate the same amount of vinegar and add to the juice.
- Wait for a day, then add the urine sample.
- Wait for the reaction. Discussions on the duration of time that should be observed give varied opinions. Some talk of up to 3 hours while others go for shorter durations. We recommend waiting for at least 1 hour.
Analyzing the results
If the mixture turns out to a dark green hue, you are pregnant. If you see a yellow color coating, assume that you are negative.
How accurate is this Tuna juice pregnancy test
7 out of 10 tests turn out to be correct. The test takes time and should not be rushed. If you are looking for instant results, try alternative methods.
DANDELION LEAVES PREGNANCY TEST
Do you know that the nature in your compound could help you check your pregnancy status? This is exciting.
What you will need For DANDELION LEAVES PREGNANCY TEST
- Collect 3 to 4 fresh leaves.
- Fresh morning urine.
- A transparent bowl or container.
How to run this test
- Place the leaves in the container.
- Pour some of the urine over the leaves.
- Wait for 10 to 15 minutes.
Analyzing the results
After doing a dandelion leaves pregnancy test, if you see some red spots or reddish blister hues on the leaves, you have the good news! If the leaves retain their colors it means that you have not yet conceived. If the blisters are, but not red, ignore the results. You can retry the test or try an alternative.
- SOAP PREGNANCY TEST
Have you already taken a bath today? I am sure having a daily or regular shower is part of your daily schedule.
Whatever we are going to say might seem like a myth but it has some unscientific proof in it. The common household soap can be used to test for pregnancy.
What You Will Need To Do Soap Pregnancy Test
- A piece of soap.
- A sample of the early morning urine.
- A wide bowl or container.
The Procedure to Follow
- Place the piece of soap in the bowl.
- Pour in reasonable amounts of the urine per the size of the soap.
- Wait for 10 minutes.
Analyzing The Observations
If the reaction of the soap and the urine produces bubbles or froth, you are probably pregnant. If no reaction takes place, settle with the outcome that you are not pregnant.
How accurate and reliable is this Soap Pregnancy Test
Unfortunately, this test is not reliable at all. The success rate is at 20% which is too low. Unless you are passing time, don’t try this test. Go for an alternative method with better results.
PHARMACEUTICAL PREGNANCY TEST
After getting positive pregnancy results after conducting home tests, many women head to the hospital to confirm the outcome. There are two common pharmaceutical pregnancy tests: blood and urine tests.
Urine Test
A Hospital Urine pregnancy test (UPT) is similar in a way to the home tests but is advanced for accurate results.
Blood Test
This is the most accurate pregnancy test. The tests take several days since the blood specimen has to send to the lab
SIGNS OF PREGNANCY
Missed period
If you have missed your cycle, you might be pregnant! However, this symptom might be misleading nausea with vomiting. if you usually experience an irregular menstrual flow.
Nausea with vomiting
This is common after weeks of conceiving. However, some women experience this symptom as early as 2 weeks after pregnancy. This symptom is caused by pregnancy hormones. The morning sickness does not only strike in the morning, it also happens in the night.
- Feeling tired without doing any exercise is an early symptom. During the first weeks of pregnancy, levels of the hormone progesterone soar high.
Increased urination
Do you suspect you are pregnant and you urinating more often than usual? This is a confirmation. The amount of blood in your body increases in the first weeks of pregnancy. This causes the kidneys to create early symptoms of pregnancy.
Tender and swollen breasts
In the early pregnancy stages of pregnancy, hormonal changes spike upwards making your breasts sensitive and sore. After the first month, this symptom will disappear because the body has adjusted to the hormonal changes.
Mood swings
Emotional and weepy waves will rock especially in the morning. The flooding hormones in the body is the cause of this.
- Most women experience mild uterine cramps especially in the first weeks of pregnancy.
Nasal congestion
You might nose breathing sometimes difficult. An increase in the level of hormones in the body causes mucous membranes in your nose to dry out and swell. This might also lead to nose bleeding.
- If you are pregnant, you might become abnormally sensitive to foods or certain odors making your sense of smell and taste change. These aversions are however short-lived.
- You may find your body swelling or dilating during the first 4 weeks or so. The increase of hormonal changes alters the body’s senses before the body copes up with the hormones.
STEPS TO TAKE AFTER A POSITIVE PREGNANCY TEST
Congratulations! Whether you are joyously celebrating, still in shock, or lost in a mixture of feelings, do not worry, we are here for you.
It is normal to have anxiety feelings after a positive test as you try to absorb the news. Even if you have been close to your partner, you will still get shocked after a positive test and end up doubting the accuracy of the pregnancy test. Feel free to conduct several tests to confirm the results.
Here are the basic steps you should take immediately after the positive test.
Consider your options
The tests are positive, but this does not guarantee a positive feel. Think of making an appointment to a pregnancy guidance and counseling center to discuss your feelings with the professionals.
You have two major decisions to make- continuing with the pregnancy or abortion. The experts will offer counseling and resources to help you make a sobber decision.
Abortion is a crime. You should not think of it unless instructed by a medical professional on healthy basis.
If you decide to further the pregnancy, your next step should be:
Schedule an appointment for prenatal care
Maintaining a healthy pregnancy requires commitment from day one. You will get pregnancy guidelines and the do’s and the don’ts of pregnancy.
The doctors will run some tests and ask you questions as they try to know more about your pregnancy. You can expect the following after visiting the prenatal care.
- Ultrasound to date the pregnancy.
- Lab tests to ensure you are healthy and fit.
- You will be asked questions on your family medical, reproductive, and gynecologic history.
- You might take a physical exam! Although this is so rare.
You should inform the doctors of any medications that you are taking. They will determine if they are compatible with pregnancy. Ignoring to reveal such details can lead to unintentional but reckless abortion.
Take Time and Accept The News
Maybe getting pregnant at this time was not your thing. But the reality has already set, it’s time to accept the results.
Take a deep breath, relax, and be kind to yourself. Have an honest chat with your partner (if you have one) or a close friend about your worries and feelings.
This will relieve the burden in your heart. If you want the pregnancy to be a secret, don’t die alone. Have a word with the health care providers you met during the prenatal care visit.
In the case of depression, severe mood swings, or abnormal anxiety, consider securing an appointment with a mental health specialist.
However, note that the mood swings, anxiety, morning sickness, and such are normal symptoms of pregnancy. Have a look at the pregnancy signs and symptoms to get answers to some of your feelings.
Inform Whom You Want Him or Her to Know That You Are Pregnant
It is your decision to controls who knows your daily life. It is easy to hide pregnancy in the first trimester as the bump is still ‘in control’.
However, hiding pregnancy news from your family or immediate friends might not be the best idea.
If the people around you know of your status, they will help you combat stressful moments. Imagine being fired by your boss because you always look fatigued while reporting to work in the morning?
You should let him understand that you are pregnant.
Find A Service Provider
Going for prenatal care is enough. Seek a personalized health care provider whom you will consult on regular basis. Many women prefer going for an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN)
Focus On Your Health
During the first days of pregnancy, things on the outside might kook away but a lot is happening on the inside. Your baby is slowly forming and you need to support this development by keeping healthy and fit.
Some of the things you can do to keep healthy include:
- Start exercising regularly. If your lifestyle had exercise schedules, don’t stop. However, involve yourself in safe exercises only. Consult your doctor to prescribe the best exercises you should get involved in.
- Eat healthy foods. This is not the right time to have fun with fancy foods. This does not mean you are prohibited from your favorite cheeseburger or pizza! The important thing is to understand that your body needs balanced nutrients and vitamins. Take a balanced diet. Your menu should have plenty of fruits, vegetables, protein, and fiber.
- Take a lot of water to stay hydrated.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Avoid some types of fish, deli meats, and unpasteurized dairy products.
Get Passionate About Pregnancy
Since you already came to terms with the test, it’s time to get passionate about pregnancy and the topics surrounding it.
Start learning what to expect as the pregnancy progresses. As the baby changes week to week, so should be your knowledge.
There are so many pregnancy resources to get information from. Examples are books, magazines, podcasts, online resources just to mention but a few. Remember not to only read about pregnancy but also about childhood.
Be very keen on where you source your information. Some online resources might end up misleading you.
You can ask your doctor to help choose the best reading materials about pregnancy. Contents found in the libraries can be trusted as they are verified.
