Before technology made it possible for women to simply take a
little stick into the bathroom with them to find out if they were
pregnant, how did women know they were expecting a baby? Surely they did
not wait until they were obviously showing or in labor to know they
were pregnant. In fact, they did not. They may not have had the kind of
access women today have to at-home pregnancy tests or even blood tests
at the doctor's office, but they did have the ability to test for
pregnancy with homemade pregnancy tests.
It is important for you
to know that while these homemade pregnancy tests are not dangerous to
you, they are also not scientifically proven to provide accurate
results. Even if the results of your homemade pregnancy test show a
positive result, it is important that you take an at-home pregnancy test
to verify your pregnancy before calling your doctor to schedule your
first prenatal appointment. Additionally, it is also important to handle
the contents of some of these tests with care, especially the homemade
bleach test. If you are pregnant, you do not want to inhale the fumes
from the bleach, and if you spill a little bleach on your clothing or
furniture, it could ruin both.
Homemade Vinegar Test
One
simple way to make a homemade pregnancy test is to buy a bottle of
vinegar. By pouring your urine into a small cup of vinegar, you are
supposed to be able to predict pregnancy. If you are pregnant, the color
of the urine and vinegar combination will change. Additionally, there
could be some fizzle when you pour the urine into the vinegar. There is
no scientific evidence to support this kind of homemade test.
Additionally, there is no research available to indicate how much urine
or how much vinegar to use to make this test work. The ratios are
unknown, which means you might not get an accurate result if you were to
use too much vinegar and not enough urine, or vice versa.
It is
unknown why this test is believed to work. The waiting time between
adding your urine to the vinegar and the color change in the concoction
is also unknown. Additionally, it is unknown exactly when you can use
this homemade test to predict pregnancy. Some at-home pregnancy tests
work as many as six days before your missed period, but there is no
indication that this homemade test has the same level of sensitivity.
However, it might be better to wait until at least the day of your
missed period to take this homemade test for pregnancy.
Homemade Pine Sol Test
You
might have pine sol at home. You might use it to clean your kitchen,
bathrooms, and floors. Many people do. You can also use it to test for
pregnancy. The way you do this is by adding fresh urine to a bottle of
pine sol. If the solution changes color, this is supposed to indicate
pregnancy.
While this homemade pregnancy test is one that many
women swear by, there is no scientific research to show that it is
accurate enough to use to predict pregnancy. For one, there is no
indication over how long you should wait for the solution to change
color. For example, when you take an at-home pregnancy test, you wait
the number of minutes listed on the instructions to see your results.
There is no time frame for this homemade test. There is also no
indication over what kind of color change to look for in the solution.
The only piece of advice offered when making this homemade test is that
you use natural pine sol void of any additives or fragrances.
Homemade Bleach Test
To
test for pregnancy using bleach, pour it into a cup with fresh urine.
If the solution turns fizzy, frothy, or starts bubbling, it indicates
pregnancy. If the solution does nothing, you are not pregnant. Much like
other homemade tests, there is no instruction as to how much bleach to
add to how much urine or how much time to wait for the results. There
is, however, a precautionary warning when using this type of test. When
mixed with urine, bleach produces harmful gasses that could be harmful
to you and your potential baby if inhaled. Be sure that when you perform
this type of homemade test, you head outside to do it so that you limit
your chances of inhaling the dangerous fumes.
Homemade Toothpaste Test
To
test for pregnancy using toothpaste, make sure that your toothpaste is
white in color. Put the toothpaste on a plate or in a cup and pour urine
over it. If you are pregnant, it is alleged that the toothpaste will
change color. There is no advice on how much urine or how much
toothpaste to use. There is also no indication that you should use a
specific type of white toothpaste, just that you should use toothpaste
white in color. Additionally, it is unknown how much time you should
wait to see if your toothpaste changes color to indicate pregnancy.
Homemade Dandelion Test
This
test involves collecting the stems and leaves from several dandelions.
You will then saturate the stems and leaves of each dandelion with urine
and let it sit for a while. There is no indication of how much time you
should allow the dandelion stems and leaves to sit before you check to
see if the results indicate pregnancy or not. You will look for red
blisters on the leaves and stem. If you see them, it means you are
pregnant. If you do not see blisters, you are not pregnant.
While
it might be fun to take a homemade pregnancy test, it's not necessarily
the best way to learn whether or not you are pregnant. Aside from the
potential dangers of the bleach test, they are harmless. However, you
shouldn't rely solely on the results of a homemade pregnancy test to
determine whether or not you are pregnant.
By
A. L. Jones
