21 DIY Homemade Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy is a life-changing event. It can be both happy and scary, but one thing it’s not is cheap. A pregnancy test alone can cost $20-$40, while the medical tests to confirm the results of that test are even more expensive. If you want to know if you’re pregnant before scheduling an appointment with your doctor or getting a blood test at the lab, there’s another option: DIY pregnancy tests. These home tests are easy, affordable and quick!
What are DIY pregnancy tests
A DIY pregnancy test is a home pregnancy test that you can do yourself instead of going to the doctor. These tests are typically cheaper than going to the doctor and are said to be able to confirm whether or not you’re pregnant with just one use! For a DIY test, all you need is some household ingredients and your urine.
One thing to bear in mind, however, is that none of these tests will give you a guaranteed result, and you should treat them more as a fun experiment rather than a replacement for medical advice. If you suspect you might be pregnant, visit your doctor to confirm and begin medical care.
How to do a DIY pregnancy test at home
To do a DIY pregnancy test at home, first grab yourself a clean container to catch the urine. Some of these require up to a cup of urine, so collect as much as you can! It’s also best to try and catch your first morning urine, as it will be the most concentrated and most likely to work.
Here are 21 DIY Home Pregnancy Tests we have collected.
Salt pregnancy test
How it works: Mix one tablespoon of salt and one tablespoon of urine in a clean jar. Wait one minute.
Positive Result: If salt forms small clumps, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If the salt dissolves, you are not pregnant.
Wine pregnancy test
How it works: Mix half a cup of white wine with half a cup of urine. Wait ten minutes.
Positive Result: If the wine changes color, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If no change is seen, you are not pregnant.
Sugar pregnancy test
How it works: Mix one tablespoon of sugar and one tablespoon of urine in a jar. Watch to see how it reacts. hCG hormone will not allow the sugar to dissolve properly.
Positive Result: If the sugar forms into small clumps, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If the sugar dissolves quickly, you are not pregnant.
Bleach pregnancy test
How it works: Take a clean container and collect your urine in it. Add powdered bleach to it and mix it thoroughly.
Positive Result: If the mixture forms a foam or fizzes, it means you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No foam or fizz.
Shampoo pregnancy test
How it works: Mix some shampoo with water until combined. Add your urine to the mixture.
Positive Result: If the mixture foams and froths, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If no foam or froth, you are not pregnant.
Pine-Sol pregnancy test
How it works: Mix half a cup of Pine-sol with half a cup of urine and wait three minutes.
Positive Result: If the mixture changes color, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No color change means you are not pregnant.
Urine in a Jar pregnancy test
How it works: Collect your first morning urine in a clean glass jar. Lay it down on a flat surface and leave for 24 hours.
Positive Result: If a thin white layer forms at the top of your urine, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No white layer means you are not pregnant.
Dandelion Leaves pregnancy test
How it works: Collect a few dandelion leaves and place them in a jar. Pour enough urine into the jar to thoroughly cover the leaves. Wait ten minutes.
Positive Result: If red spots and blisters appear on the leaves, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No red spots or blisters on the leaves means you are not pregnant.
Tylenol and Peroxide pregnancy test
How it works: Crush to Tylenol tablets into a powder, then add some peroxide until it fizzes. Now add a teaspoon of first morning urine to the mixture.
Positive Result: If the mixture turns blue, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No change in color means no pregnancy.
Toothpaste pregnancy test
How it works: Choose a white colored toothpaste. Take two tablespoons of toothpaste and add in your urine sample.
Negative Result: Toothpaste does not change color nor becomes frothy.
Tuna and Vinegar pregnancy test
How it works: Mix an equal amount of tuna juice and vinegar in a small bowl. Add in half a cup of urine to the mixture.
Positive Result: If the mixture turns green, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No color change means negative result.
Mustard Powder pregnancy test
How it works: Add a tablespoon of mustard powder to a lukewarm bath and soak for 15 minutes. Wait 24 hours.
Positive Result: If this does not bring on your period within a day, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If you get your period in this time, you are not pregnant.
Vinegar pregnancy test
How it works: Take two tablespoons of white vinegar, and add your urine to it and mix it properly.
Positive Result: If vinegar changes color and forms bubbles, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If there is no change in the vinegar, you are not pregnant.
Red Cabbage pregnancy test
How it works: Chop up some fresh red cabbage and boil it in water for ten minutes. Remove the cabbage and take the liquid that is left. Add in your first morning urine and observe.
Positive Result: If the solution turns pink or purple, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No color change means you are not pregnant.
Dettol pregnancy test
How it works: Add one part Dettol to three parts urine. Wait 5 minutes.
Positive Result: If the urine and Dettol separate into layers, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If no separation occurs, you are not pregnant.
Soap pregnancy test
How it works: Take a small bit of bar soap and pour a small amount of urine on it.
Positive Result: If it forms bubbles, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No bubbles means you are not pregnant.
Wheat and Barley pregnancy test
How it works: Pee into a bowl filled with wheat and barley grains. Leave for 2-3 days.
Positive Result: If the grains begin to sprout, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If no sprouts are seen, you are not pregnant.
Baking soda pregnancy test
How it works: Take two tablespoons of baking soda, and add two tablespoons of urine to it.
Positive Result: If bubbles begin to form, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: No bubbles means not pregnant.
Boiling Urine pregnancy test
How it works: Boil your first morning urine in a pan on the stove. Observe what happens.
Positive Result: If your urine gets a milky froth at the top, you are pregnant.
Negative Result: If there is no milky froth, you are not pregnant.
Onion pregnancy test
How it works: Cut a small piece of onion and place it in your vagina overnight.
Positive Result: If you can not taste or smell onions on your breath in the morning, you may be pregnant.
Negative Result: If your breath smells of onion in the morning, you are not likely to be pregnant.
How accurate are DIY pregnancy tests
There is no real way to determine how accurate these tests are, as there is no scientific data to back them. Most evidence is anecdotal at best, and some women have better results than others.
At the end of the day, your best bet for a home test is to buy one from the store. Most places sell them, even the dollar stores!
Even without a test, there are ways to tell you are pregnant. Look for early pregnancy symptoms to give you an idea of whether or not it is time to test. Then, visit your doctor for confirmation.
The accuracy of any home test is dependent on several different factors including the test itself and how it’s used. If you do a test too early, it may not work and produce inaccurate results. It is also important to know what urine based tests look for in your sample so that you can avoid these “false positives” as much as possible.
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) : This is the hormone that pregnancy tests are looking for. It’s called the pregnancy hormone while pregnant and once a woman becomes pregnant, this hormone is produced in the placenta. hCG usually starts showing up around the time of your missed period, or 7 to 10 days after fertilization.
Advantages of doing the test yourself
The advantages of doing the test yourself are that you know what is in the test, how accurate it is and how to use it. You also save money so if your home pregnancy test turns out to be inaccurate, you haven’t wasted a lot of money.
Disadvantages of doing the test yourself
Some of the disadvantages of doing a DIY test at home are false positives and false negatives. False positives can happen when you are not pregnant or even after a miscarriage. And since these tests are not scientifically backed, false negatives are very common, too.
You also know that it is not 100% accurate. Unlike a store-bought test or a test administered by your doctor, these DIY pregnancy tests require you to read the results yourself, and they can be quite subjective.
DIY pregnancy tests are a fun way to test if you’re pregnant, but they aren’t as accurate or reliable as store-bought ones. If you think you might be pregnant, it may just be time to buy a pregnancy test.
Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.
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