Home pregnancy tests: 10 types and testimonials from women

WARNING: Home pregnancy tests are not scientifically proven and therefore cannot be used for diagnosis. If you have symptoms of pregnancy or think you may be pregnant, seek medical attention.

10 most common home pregnancy tests

On the internet, it is possible to find some recipes that promise to confirm or not the pregnancy. Of course, there is no scientific proof and no guarantee of effectiveness, but some people really believe that they can help. Check out these tests below.

1. Urine boil test

The woman should boil the urine in an aluminum container and then observe: if the urine boils similar to milk (it “rises” and forms a “cream”), supposedly the result is POSITIVE. If boiling is similar to boiling water (not “rising” and just bubbling), the result would be NEGATIVE.

2. Needle test

For this test, you need to urinate into a container and insert a needle into it. Then it is necessary to close the container and wait eight hours. A tip to control anxiety is to take the test before bed and observe the result the next day. If the needle changes color, the result is believed to be POSITIVE.

3. Bleach test

You must urinate in a container and add bleach. If the urine changes color or fizzes, the result is said to be POSITIVE. Otherwise, the result would be NEGATIVE.

4. Chlorine test

The woman should put the urine in a disposable cup and add chlorine. If it turns dark, the result would be POSITIVE. If the mixture is still the same color, the result is supposed to be NEGATIVE.

5. Pine oil test

In this test, urine must be mixed with pine essential oil. If the mixture changes color, the result is believed to be POSITIVE.

6. Test with salt

It consists of collecting some urine in a disposable cup, adding pinches of salt and mixing to dissolve. If, after that, a kind of cream forms on the urine, the result is supposed to be POSITIVE.

7. Test with toothpaste

The woman should mix some white toothpaste with a few drops of urine in a disposable cup. If the paste changes color or foams, the result is supposed to be POSITIVE. If it stays the same, the result would be NEGATIVE.

8. Test with soap

This test suggests that the woman put some of her urine on a piece of soap and observe what happens. If bubbles form on the surface, the result would be POSITIVE.

9. Test with vinegar

In a disposable cup, the woman must mix her urine with a little vinegar. If the liquid foams or changes color, supposedly the result would be POSITIVE.

10. Test with cotton swab

Suggest that the woman insert a cotton swab into the vaginal canal to identify the presence of blood. If there is a sign of blood, it means that menstruation is on the way and possibly the result is NEGATIVE. If the swab comes out clean, the result can be POSITIVE. In addition to not having proven effectiveness, this test is not recommended, as the cotton swab can cause lesions (and even bleeding, which can influence the result) on the walls of the vaginal canal.

It is worth noting that none of these tests mentioned has scientific proof. Many women even confess that they are suspicious of the results that homemade recipes can offer. In moments of doubt and anxiety, however, some of them bet on these tips as a way to lower their expectations.

Alessandra Bedin, a gynecologist at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, points out that, in fact, these homemade recipes can be considered more as “popular beliefs” than as reliable tests. “They serve (very well) to reduce anxiety, but they cannot be considered reliable. False positives and false negatives are very frequent,” she reinforces.

Testimonials from women about home pregnancy tests

It’s always good to see reports from those who have gone through the experience, but you should always remember that there is no rule in these situations. Check out the testimonials of three women who underwent home pregnancy tests:

• Valeria F. Diehl, 28 years old. She says she took a home pregnancy test after eight days of missed period. “He showed a positive result. I took three more drug tests and they all came back negative; as well as the blood test. Soon after, my period came normal and I had confirmation that I really wasn’t pregnant. That is, with me the home test did not work,” she says.
• Jennifer Cristina Lopes, 23 years old. The student reports that she took the needle test. “I peed before going to bed in a clear container with a lid and put a needle inside. The next day my pee was dark which would represent a positive result. Then I did the boil test, which also came back positive. After taking the blood test, I confirmed that I was pregnant. But I don’t know if it was a coincidence or if the home tests are really effective,” she says.
• Katarina Davi, 30 years old. Katarina says that she has also bet on home tests. “The first one I did was positive. The second one was negative! I remained in doubt… But, after a few more days, I went to my gynecologist and I had proof that I was really pregnant”, she reports.

Really effective pregnancy tests

As home pregnancy tests do not offer any proof as to their effectiveness, many women do not even consider taking them. They prefer to immediately bet on so-called pharmacy tests. But are they really reliable?

Gynecologist Alessandra Bedin points out that they are reliable, yes, especially if there is a missed period. “The first urine in the morning is preferred, as it is more concentrated. But some tests are already able to identify the pregnancy hormone even in urine throughout the day. If the pregnancy is still very early, the sensitivity of the test is lower than that of blood, so it can come back negative and, in fact, the woman is pregnant. On the other hand, if it comes back positive, there’s not much doubt, it really is pregnancy,” she says.

The blood test, explains the gynecologist, can detect pregnancy up to 12 days after conception, that is, up to 2 days before the menstrual delay. “Urine ones are most reliable from the day your period was late,” she adds.

With all this information, the tip is: if you have a positive result, whether obtained with the pharmacy test (which is 99% effective) or even with the home pregnancy test (which has no proven effectiveness), look for your gynecologist who will probably order a blood test done in the laboratory. Confirming the pregnancy, he will prescribe all the tests, regularly monitor your health and that of the baby and pass on all the necessary information for this period.