Size 8 warned you! Now, here's how to test for pregnancy using homemade remedies

Piece by: Grace Kerongo
Lifestyle

Here are 10 DIY tests you can try at home. They are perfectly safe.

1. Sugar

Put one tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and pour one tablespoon of the collected urine sample on the sugar, wait and watch.

Positive Sign :

The urine of pregnant women contains the Hormone HCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin). This hormone prevents the sugar from dissolving, and you will notice that the sugar will not readily dissolve and will form clumps instead. This is a clear sign of pregnancy.

Negative Sign :

If the sugar readily dissolves in the urine, it means that the urine does not contain HCG and therefore there is no pregnancy.

2. Toothpaste Pregnancy Test :

White toothpaste is preferred as the additional components of coloured toothpaste may interfere with the results.

Place two tablespoons of toothpaste in the bowl, add a tablespoon of the collected urine sample, wait and observe.

Positive Sign :

In case of pregnancy, the toothpaste will react with the urine change colour and may also turn frothy. The colour change should usually result in the toothpaste getting bluish.

Negative Sign :

In the case of negative pregnancy, the toothpaste would not react with the urine at all.

Caution :

While this test is useful and can be easily done at home there are certain drawbacks. For one, there are no prescribed guidelines to how much urine needs to be added to the toothpaste. Secondly, the time it takes for the reaction could vary.

3. Soap Pregnancy Test :

Place the soap in the bowl, pour two tablespoons of urine on the soap and observe.

Positive Sign :

If the soap froths and bubbles appear then it is likely that you are pregnant.

Negative Sign :

If there is no pregnancy there would be no reaction between soap and the urine sample.

4. Shampoo Pregnancy Test :

Put two drops of shampoo in a clean bowl, to this add some water to form a soapy solution, whisk gently to avoid foaming. Now add a few drops of the collected urine and observe.

Positive Sign :

If the shampoo solution begins to froth or forms bubbles it is a sign that you may be pregnant.

Negative Sign :

If there is no reaction you can safely assume that you are not pregnant.

Caution :

Mixing shampoo and water to form a soapy solution without frothing is tricky as the presence of froth can interfere with the results.

5. Salt Pregnancy Test :

Pour some urine sample in the glass, add a pinch or two of salt, and observe for at least three minutes.

Positive Sign :

If the salt reacts with the urine, you will observe creamy white clumps being formed; this is a definite sign of pregnancy.

Negative Sign :

If there is no reaction whatsoever, the result is negative.

6. Vinegar Pregnancy Test :

Pour some vinegar into the glass and add the urine sample to the vinegar. Let the solution mix for 5 minutes and observe the results.

Positive Sign :

Any change in the colour of the vinegar is an indication of pregnancy.

Negative Sign :

If there is no visible change in the colour means no pregnancy.

Caution :

Pour the urine sample slowly into the vinegar to avoid frothing; bubbles and frothing would affect the accuracy of the test.

7. Bleaching Powder Pregnancy Test :

Add bleaching powder to the glass, pour the urine sample in the glass and observe.

Positive Sign :

If there is an immediate reaction with a fizzing sound and lot of bubbles and froth, it is a strong indication of pregnancy.

Negative Sign :

If the solution settles with no significant amount of bubbles then there is no pregnancy.

Caution :

Fumes produced by the reaction of urine and bleaching powder are toxic, keep distance to avoid inhalation.

8. Baking Soda Pregnancy Test :

Put some baking soda in a bowl, pour the urine samples over it and observe.

Positive Sign :

If there is a reaction with a lot of bubbles and fizz, then you are pregnant.

Negative Sign :

If there are very few bubbles then there is no pregnancy.

Caution :

This test is relatively safe and the reaction of baking soda with urine will not produce any fumes are harmful gases.

9. Storing Urine Pregnancy Test :

Collect a sample of the first urine - in the morning - in a glass jar and let stand for a day.

Positive Sign :

If you observe a thin film or layer on the surface of the sample after a period of twenty-four hours, then there is a strong likelihood of pregnancy.

Negative Sign :

If there is no such layer then you are not pregnant.

Caution :

It is a safe test and does not require any safety protocol to be followed.

10. Tuna & Vinegar Pregnancy Test :

Considered to be one of the most accurate do-it-yourself tests at home, tuna and vinegar pregnancy test has the highest probability of yielding accurate results.

Strain some juice out of the canned tuna in the glass jar, add equal parts white vinegar, mix and let it sit for a day at room temperature. On the next day add a sample of the first urine of the day.

Positive Sign :

If the mix turns dark green it indicates that you are pregnant.

Negative Sign :

Yellow colour would indicate that you are not pregnant.