Becoming a mother is the most joyous thing in a woman’s life. But, the path leading to it is uncertain and strenuous and so is taking a pregnancy test at the beginning of this long journey. At the time of taking a pregnancy test, anxiety about the results can get you worked up. Naturally, you would want your pregnancy test to be more of a private affair than a public one in a doctor’s lab.

When you are looking for ways of doing home pregnancy tests, you will come across many pregnancy test kits available in a drugstore these days. Studies claim that they are not as accurate as they are portrayed.

So, women either go for a blood test in a doctor’s lab or natural tests at home. In the olden days, our grandmothers would check pregnancy at home using traditional medical practices and natural ingredients. It was not only efficient but also safe in many ways.

Keeping this in mind, we have listed some DIY pregnancy tests that will prove to be useful when you want to check your pregnancy status privately.

Friendly Reminder: The information shared here is for educational purposes only and the reader should consult a registered medical practitioner before implementing any changes to their health routine.

Benefits of Natural Pregnancy Test

There are only a few of us who would turn to home-made tests, but those who hesitate to take up the natural route may miss out on some of the benefits like:

• This method can come in handy when you suspect an unplanned pregnancy and wouldn’t want others to know about it.
• Disposing of a pregnancy test can be difficult to hide but not when you use natural ingredients.
• All the ingredients required are on your kitchen shelves.
• You can take the test in the comfort of your home instead of the pharmacy.
• Natural pregnancy tests are cost-effective.
• You don’t have to worry about the expiry date as the natural ingredients used do not have a shelf life.

Principle of Pregnancy Test

When a woman conceives, that is, when the embryo attaches itself to the uterine wall, the placenta forms and it starts producing the hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which enters the bloodstream and urine. The test uses antibodies to detect hCG in the urine.

You may wonder when to take a pregnancy test. Well, during the first few weeks of the pregnancy, the concentration of the hormone increases quickly and doubles every two to three days. It generally is harder to detect when you take the test at the early stages of your pregnancy. So, it is advised to take the test one day after a missed period.

If the test says that you are not pregnant, you must keep in mind that every woman menstruates at different times in a month. In case you have an irregular menstruation cycle, then there are chances that you have miscalculated the period due date. For this reason, you may get incorrect test results.

• Anything under 5 mIU/ml is considered an indicator of a negative result for pregnancy
• Anything between 6 mIU/ml and 24 mIU/ml is considered an unsure result for pregnancy
• Anything over 25 mIU/ml is generally considered a positive result for pregnancy

Other than missed peroids, certain signs such as changes in your breasts may also indicate early pregnancy. If you notice tenderness, swelling or a sudden increase in breast size, you might be pregnant. Additionally, you might also notice that the skin around your nipples has darkened and the veins in your breast have become prominent.

Dr. Nayana Shetty, MBBS, MD

How to Make Sure That the Pregnancy Test Results Are Accurate?

• Use a clean container when you collect the urine sample.
• Test the first urine of the day as it will have high levels of hCG.
• Make sure to collect a substantial amount of urine. If it is too low, you may end up with incorrect test results.
• Once you have taken the test, wait for the reaction to happen. It may take up to 10 minutes.
• If you did not get accurate results, don’t hesitate to take it once again.

Efficacy Home Pregnancy Test

Most of the natural home pregnancy tests do not have any scientifically tested efficacy. In many instances, some of the common home pregnancy tests may give accurate results simply by coincidence. However, some of the natural home pregnancy test methods given below have been proven to be more effective than others. While it is always recommended to get a clinically approved pregnancy test kit that you can use easily at home, you can always try these natural methods to get quick results without having to rush to the pharmacy. 

Also Read: How To Manage Pregnancy Even If You Have Diabetes?

Top 10 Home Pregnancy Test

You must be burning with the question – how to test for pregnancy at home? Here are some easy ways how you can check pregnancy at home naturally using only a few ingredients.

1. Salt Pregnancy Test

Every kitchen shelf will have salt in it. All you need for a pregnancy test at home with salt is a urine sample collected in the morning, a pinch or two of salt and a clean glass to mix the ingredients.

2. Sugar Pregnancy Test

Sugar is something that you will always keep a stock of at home. For this reason, this method is found to be the easiest of all. All you need for this test is a urine sample collected as soon as you wake up, one bowl and a tablespoon of sugar. Here’s what you need to do.

4. Wheat & Barley Pregnancy Test

Wheat and barley are a part of every Indian’s food system. Did you know that they can also help you determine your pregnancy status? Yes! Both the seeds germinate twice as quickly in a pregnant lady’s urine than in water. For the test, you need barley and wheat seeds, a urine sample, and a clean bowl.

5. Mustard Powder Pregnancy Test

In case you have a delayed period and suspect that you are pregnant, you can use this homemade pregnancy test instead of rushing to a pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test kit. All you need for this test is half to  ¾ cup of mustard powder and a bathtub filled with warm water. Mustard powder is said to generate heat in your body and help you get rid of delayed periods.

6. Dandelion Leaves Pregnancy Test

This home pregnancy test has been proven to be super accurate. So, if you have a dandelion plant in your backyard, you can take advantage of this test. All you need are some dandelion leaves, a plastic sheet and your urine sample collected early in the morning.

7. Storing Urine Pregnancy Test

Another effective homemade pregnancy test is simply observing your stored urine. All you need is a glass jar and urine sample collected early in the morning.

8. Wine Pregnancy Test

Did you know that you can use wine as one of the pregnancy tests at home? All you need for this is a wine and urine sample collected in the morning.

9. Tuna Juice

This test is considered to be one of the easiest and accurate home remedies for a pregnancy test. All you need for this test is a container, canned tuna, white vinegar and a sample of your urine collected first thing in the morning.

10. Basal Body Temperature Pregnancy Test

When you are pregnant, your basal body temperature or the lowest temperature your body attains when you are resting is quite high when compared to normal times. So, this test proves to be helpful to check your pregnancy status at home. All you need is a basal body thermometer.

Also Read: Exercise During Pregnancy – Benefits And Safety

Other Home Pregnancy Tests

In addition to using the natural ingredients available in your kitchen cupboard, you can do home pregnancy tests using certain chemically laden ingredients commonly available in every household. As a bonus, find the answer to your burning question – how to test pregnancy at home using homely products.

1. Toothpaste Pregnancy Test

This is the latest addition to the homemade pregnancy test list as toothpaste was not available around the time our grandmothers took the test. For this method, you can only use white toothpaste for accurate results. Coloured toothpaste may contain additional chemicals that may interfere with the results. All you need for a pregnancy test at home with toothpaste is a clean bowl, two tablespoons of white toothpaste and urine collected early in the morning.

• Note: Although this test appears to be effective, you can never rely on it as we do not know the exact quantity of urine to be added to the toothpaste nor do we know the amount of time we have to wait for the reaction to happen.

2. Soap Pregnancy Test

This is an easy and quick test that you can do at home with no hassle. All you need is soap. It can be of any type, brand, or ingredient. In addition, you need a wide bowl and sample of the first urine of the day.

3. Shampoo Pregnancy Test

This is just as convenient as soap and toothpaste tests. You can use any shampoo and you do not need any special tool for the test. All you need is water, a sample of first urine collected fresh in the morning, two drops of shampoo, and a clean bowl to mix all the ingredients.

• Note: Be careful while mixing the shampoo and water. Mix it gently to avoid any froth formation. Froth would interfere with the test and ends up giving you incorrect results.

If you notice an increased need to urinate even during the night, it might be an indication of early pregnancy. Other signs you could notice at home include constipation and more vaginal discharge, as long as there’s no soreness or irritation. These symptoms can be an early indicator of pregnancy.

Dr. Nayana Shetty, MBBS, MD

4. Dettol Pregnancy Test

Dettol can be found in every Indian’s home. It is the antiseptic medicine we turn to when we bruise ourselves. Did you know that you can also use this for the home pregnancy test? To begin with, you need a clean glass, a tablespoon of Dettol, and a sample of the first urine of the day.

5. Vinegar Pregnancy Test

This Chinese ingredient does not only add flavours to the food dishes but also has proved to be a useful ingredient in DIY pregnancy tests.  You can simply use the affordable white vinegar available in the market for this test. In addition, you will need a urine sample collected in the morning and a clean glass to mix the two.

6. Bleaching Powder Pregnancy Test

If you want quick results with an easy method, then bleaching powder is your go-to option. For this test, you need bleaching powder, a urine sample collected in the morning and a clean glass to mix the two.

• Note: Please avoid inhaling the fumes coming out of the above reaction as they are toxic and harmful for you. So, make sure you maintain a safe distance.

Also Read: 11 Superfoods to Eat During Pregnancy

Can You Still Get Pregnant After Using Contraceptives?

Many women have reported that they became pregnant even though they had used contraceptives or taken the pill. Contraceptives are not always full-proof and there are many reasons why they can fail. Some of these are:

• If you forget to take the pill at the appropriate time. This depends on which stage you are in your cycle. If you are already ovulating at the time you took the pill, chances are you might still become pregnant as ovulation amplifies your chances of becoming pregnant. 
• Sometimes mixing medications can negate the effect of your birth control pill. Before you start any new medication, consult with your physician. 
• If your partner uses a condom during intercourse, chances are the condom might tear or leak leading you to become pregnant.

Also Read: Can You Get Pregnant Without Having Sex? Debunking Pregnancy Myths

When should you Consult a doctor?

Most women avoid going to a doctor until they are well within a few months of their pregnancy. This is not recommended at all since there can be several complications during a pregnancy that needs to be tended to by a medical professional. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult a doctor regarding your pregnancy at the earliest chance possible.

To Conclude

All the above tests have been used by many women who wished to know their status of pregnancy in private. But you have to bear in mind that there are times when you may not get accurate results from the above tests. In such a scenario, it is advised to take more than one of the above tests. In case nothing is working for you, you should get a blood test in the doctor’s lab, which will not only indicate whether you are pregnant or not but also how far you are in pregnancy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
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