Homemade Pregnancy Test

Pregnancy is a very emotional time for every woman, her partner and family. This can happen at an unexpected time or it can be fully planned. Whichever way a pregnancy may occur, our bodies will begin to make changes, almost as soon as conception has occurred.

All women’s bodies go through a similar process, once a woman conceives. Even as early as 7 days after conception our bodies begin to produce a new hormone known as HCG. The biological name for this is human chorionic gonadotropin. This particular hormone can be detected in our urine, which of course makes it very suitable for conducting homemade pregnancy tests, the theory here is that if we can devise a test that can detect this hormone in our urine, we will have a good indication whether we are pregnant or not.

One aspect of carrying out a pregnancy test is to make sure we do the test at the correct time. This is because different women conceive on different days of their menstrual cycle. Naturally all conception occurs at the time of ovulation; however ovulation can occur on different days.

Most women ovulate on day 14 of their cycle. Some women may ovulate on day 10 or 11. So, when we measure how far into our pregnancy we are, we always calculate that our pregnancy begins on the first day of our last menstrual cycle.

When it comes to measuring the HGC levels in our urine, which, as previously mentioned, is how the homemade pregnancy test function, the general rule of thumb is that after ten days past the ovulation and conception day, the concentration would be around 25 milli international units, (mIU). After  12 days  this would be increased to 50 mIU and at 15 days it doubles again to around 100 mIU.

So it is obvious that the more time after conception, that the test is done, the more definite the presence of HCG is. Most commercial pregnancy kits can recognise the presence of HCG from around 8 days after conception, where the concentration is around 5-10 mIU.

In terms of when to take pregnancy test, doing this sometime between 7 and 10 days after having had intercourse, should give a reliable result. Based on the knowledge that all tests may not be accurate, it is also advised to take a second test to confirm the results. If the result is negative or even positive, it is a good idea to re-perform the test a week later.  It is preferable to test the urine in the morning, and to avoid drinking extra fluids prior to taking the test.

Lets look at the different homemade pregnancy test:

There are a variety of homemade pregnancy tests available. Some of the well known tests have proved to be effective in determining pregnancy. Most households have bleach present in their laundries.  Simply add a cup of bleach to a disposable container and add the entire amount of urine passed to this, and if any frothing occurs, this is an indication that a possible conception has occurred.

Another household product used most every day, is a product known as Pine Sol. This is made from the essential oils of Pinus Sylvestris and is used as a cleaning agent. In the same manner as the bleach, simply mix the urine with the agent, and if conception has occurred, this may become evident by the agent changing colour. The colour change may not happen immediately, so leave the solution sitting for a few hours and come back to check the colour.

Another popular method of testing for pregnancy is by using dandelion leaves that are usually found growing in parks and gardens, and are generally considered a weed. Carefully pick some dandelion leaves, say, up to 10 leaves, and place these on a sheet of thin plastic on the ground, which is also out of the direct sunlight. Pour the urine over the leaves, ensuring that the urine will not just run off the leaves but will thoroughly soak into them. Leave the urine soaking for about 10 minutes. The way to tell whether conception has occurred or not is to check whether there are any small red blisters showing on the leaves, and if there is, this may confirm the pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a very special time in a woman’s life. It is a natural process, and so, taking homemade pregnancy tests is also a natural process,  since it is using everyday products we find in our homes.

Bear in mind that the tests that are made at home aren’t as precise as the pregnancy tests that you can buy at a pharmacy. If you have any doubt that you are pregnant then it’s wise to contact your doctor for more accurate information.