Homemade Pregnancy Tests

Homemade pregnancy tests using simple items have been a trusted tradition, with commonly available items to confirm pregnancy at home. Natural ways to confirm pregnancy at home are preferred, especially where healthcare is inaccessible or reproductive health is still considered taboo. These simple techniques are usually chosen for their immediate result in private, avoiding a pharmacy visit, and do not charge anything additional. However, no research has suggested they work, except for a few tests claiming accuracy by coincidence.

Medical confirmation is essential for accurate results, as more women seek discreet and affordable answers before turning to clinics. Read on to understand what science says about the effectiveness of these homemade tests and why formal tests are becoming more important.

What Are the Different Natural Ways to Detect Pregnancy?

Before going to the doctor, checking pregnancy at home is a common first step, which detects the pregnancy hormone called hCG, or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, secreted by the placenta and released through the urine. Many women might notice early signs like a missed period, nausea, or breast tenderness. 

Some women try traditional or home-based methods using everyday items to check for pregnancy, though these are not medically reliable. While such methods may offer emotional reassurance, they should not replace clinical tests or commercially available urine test kits designed to detect hCG accurately. If you still want to know how to check pregnancy at home naturally, here are the most common methods:

1. The Salt Pregnancy Test 

Take a clean glass, put a few drops of your first-morning urine with a pinch of salt, then leave it for three to five minutes to check for any clumps. If found, it is a sign of pregnancy, but no studies have been published on this idea, claiming to be a reliable test.

2. The Sugar Pregnancy Test 

The sugar test for pregnancy is simple, as sugar is easily found. Put a spoonful of sugar and pour some urine over it. Check if the sugar clumps instead of dissolving; as claimed by many, it can be a sign of pregnancy. However, no medical research or authorities recommend it due to a lack of scientific evidence supporting it.

3. Toothpaste Test

Noticing fizzing or a colour change to blue can indicate pregnancy when coming in contact with hCG. However, this home pregnancy test using toothpaste, conducted with a mixture of plain white toothpaste with a few drops of morning urine, isn’t clear proof, as toothpaste may come in various colours.

4. Baking Soda Test

Take some of your first-morning urine, pour it into a clean glass with an equal portion of baking soda and watch the mixture. The fizzing and bubbling of this mixture indicate pregnancy. This is a reaction of urine acidity and has no scientific basis to be connected with pregnancy.

5. Vinegar Test

Pour a half cup of first-morning urine into a clean container with one cup of white vinegar and check for the formation of bubbles or colour changes, which indicate pregnancy. However, you must note that any colour change is due to the natural properties of urine, not hCG levels.

6. Soap Test

Stir a few drops of your first-morning urine and dish soap to develop into a lathering, frothy and bubbly mixture. Check after five to ten minutes; bubbles or froth might indicate pregnancy. However, no studies have verified that the hCG hormone causes the soap to fizz and bubble, so this method is unreliable.

7. Wheat and Barley Seed Test

The wheat and barley seed test is an archaic method of testing pregnancy where a woman urinates daily over wheat and barley seeds for about ten days to see if the seeds sprout, which is a positive test. A 2023 article establishes that this test is not scientifically unreliable for confirming pregnancy.

Also Read: How does pregnancy change he female body?

8. Tracking Basal Body Temperature

Monitoring your morning basal body temperature upon waking can help track changes; for instance, it can help signal pregnancy if your body temperature is found to remain elevated 18 days after ovulation. However, illness or sleeping will affect accuracy, which is not scientifically valid for determining pregnancy.

9. Shampoo Test

To make a soapy solution, pour some water and your first-morning urine with dish soap. If it bubbles, it is claimed to be a pregnancy test, as per some individuals on online forums. However, this homemade pregnancy test without a kit is not scientifically proven.

10. Storage Urine Test 

The storage urine test uses first-morning urine in a sterile container, allowing it to sit for a few hours. After a while, if a white coating or film forms on the surface, as some claim, it is pointed towards pregnancy. 

11. Cervical Mucus Monitoring Changes

Observing the texture of cervical mucus during your cycle is an old method to see differences after ovulation. Continued clear and stretchy mucus is reported to signal pregnancy, but these are subject to numerous variables, and no scientific studies have established pregnancy.

12. Oil Drop Test

Put a few drops of oil in urine; a claim by many that a positive sign of pregnancy is confirmed if the oil droplets come together or form a layer. However, this remains a historical and unreliable test to detect pregnancy, has no scientific validation and should not be relied upon.

13. Dandelion Leaf Test

This is a folk remedy; if dandelion leaves in urine turn reddish-brown, it suggests pregnancy. However, there is no scientific evidence that the hormone hCG, used to detect pregnancy, causes the leaves to change their colours.

14. Mustard Powder Test

Mustard baths have stimulating and warming properties for menstruation when mustard powder is soaked for about 20 minutes. Menstruation does not resume after a few days, which is a positive sign. Again, this home-based method is not a definitive pregnancy test due to a lack of scientific validation.

15. Traditional Methods to Detect Pregnancy

Ancient Indian practices through Ayurveda and traditional practice are the pulse test for sensing minute changes during conception and the wheat and barley seed test, whereby sprouting from seeds left to soak in urine confirms pregnancy. The other traditional method is by inserting a needle in the urine overnight; rusting was the parameter used as a sign of pregnancy.

Are Homemade Pregnancy Tests Scientifically Proven? 

As noted by medical sources, traditional Indian methods to detect pregnancy have a higher potential of obtaining an incorrect result. These factors create confusion or stress due to unreliable results, making them scientifically refuted for several reasons. They are not based on scientific evidence but on anecdotal and folklore reports. Self-made tests can no longer detect hCG reliably, resulting in common false positives and negatives. Non-pregnant women's urine can cause similar responses.

In addition, the tests are non-standardised as well because the outcome is affected by pregnancy-unrelated factors, such as urine pH and the chemical makeup of common household items. For accurate and reliable results of about 99%, it is best to follow medical advice and use scientifically validated urine or blood tests.

Make a Pregnancy Decision with a Reputable Clinic!

Homemade pregnancy tests, such as the DIY pregnancy test with salt or sugar, the toothpaste pregnancy test at home, and ancient Indian methods, remain a niche phenomenon in Indian households. Today, you might go for these simple tests at home if you want privacy or are unable to purchase a test kit. These simple, time-honored methods blend convenience, affordability, and traditions, usually where early symptoms strike. However, these measures are not scientifically proven. 

For years, Apollo Spectra has been a trusted name in pregnancy care, science-based medical testing, and offering reliability. If you're looking for accurate pregnancy results and peace of mind, you can easily connect with our expert team at Apollo Spectra by booking a consultation. A qualified healthcare provider will guide you throughout.