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DIY Bleach Pregnancy Test Accuracy & Risks

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How This Helps

A pregnancy test is usually a trustworthy confirmation of your pregnancy. There are many at-home pregnancy tests available nowadays that help women confirm any suspicion of early pregnancy. However, a drugstore-bought test is not the only way of establishing a pregnancy. Over the years, many women have come up with their own do-it-yourself home pregnancy tests. The bleach pregnancy test is one low-cost option of such a do-it-yourself home pregnancy test. But is it accurate? And more importantly, is it safe, or does it pose some risks?

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What is a bleach pregnancy test?

There are many do-it-yourself home pregnancy tests.1 Many women believe that bleach can help them confirm whether they are pregnant or not. A do-it-yourself bleach pregnancy test is an easy pregnancy determination test. Here’s what all you will need to carry out the bleach pregnancy test:

– 2 cups

– Household bleach

– Urine sample

It is relatively easy to carry out the bleach pregnancy test. Here’s how to do it:

– Simply pour some amount of bleach on one of the cups.

– Urinate in the other cup and slowly pour some of the urine into the cup containing the bleach.

– Wait for a few minutes to see the results.

If the urine starts to foam, similar to a mug of frothy beer, then this indicates a positive urine pregnancy test. However, if the urine does not change or only fizzes a little bit, then this shows that you are not pregnant.

It is recommended that you use regular bleach instead of scented or colored bleach, as these options may affect how the bleach reacts with urine.  The bleach pregnancy test works similarly to a store-bought home pregnancy test, and supporters of this method believe that the bleach is capable of detecting human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG, which is the primary pregnancy hormone found in the urine of women who are pregnant.2 The hormone hCG is only produced by the body when you are pregnant, and it can be detected in both your urine and blood during the first trimester of your pregnancy.3

Home pregnancy tests are also made to detect the presence of hCG hormone within a couple of weeks after conception.4 Supporters of the bleach pregnancy test believe that bleach is also capable of detecting the hCG hormone. Nevertheless, there is a lack of scientific evidence to show that bleach indeed detects hCG levels.

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Is a bleach pregnancy test accurate?

How Accurate is the Bleach Pregnancy Test?

You may find it intriguing and fun to try out this homemade pregnancy test, but the bleach pregnancy test is not accurate. However, there are no studies that have been carried out to check the reliability of bleach in accurately detecting pregnancy.

The bleach pregnancy test is considered to be unreliable because bleach is not manufactured to detect the pregnancy hormone hCG. Furthermore, there is no proof to show that when urine is mixed with bleach for some amount of time, it does not become foamy only as a natural reaction. There is also no evidence to show that stirring or shaking the mixture does not cause the mixture to start frothing.

The fact is that when you use a bleach pregnancy test, there is no guarantee to the result you perceive to be correct. Both a positive and a negative result, therefore, cannot be trusted as being an accurate predictor of pregnancy.

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Bleach pregnancy test risks

Are there any risks to using a Bleach Pregnancy Test?

Women who want to try the bleach pregnancy test, even if only for fun, must bear in mind that there are some risks associated with taking this type of do-it-yourself pregnancy test.

– Even though bleach is a standard household cleaner, it is still a very powerful chemical compound. Anyone who has used bleach to clean the home is aware that it can affect their breathing if it is inhaled. In fact, there are many health risks associated with inhalation of bleach while cleaning.5,6 However, there are no studies that have been done to determine the effects of bleach inhalation on pregnant women. Nevertheless, given the corrosive and potent nature of bleach, overexposure to this chemical could potentially cause harm to your baby.

– There have been cases where exposure to certain chemicals while pregnant has been associated with miscarriages and congenital disabilities.7 This is especially true for pregnant women who are exposed to solvents.8,9

– Apart from causing potential problems during the pregnancy, bleach can also irritate your throat, lungs, or nose, especially if you are using bleach in a place such as a bathroom, which has insufficient ventilation.

– Another risk associated with taking the bleach pregnancy test is that you may accidentally splash the bleach on yourself, which could lead to irritation or even a chemical burn as it comes in contact with your skin.

– One significant risk of using a bleach pregnancy test is the likelihood of getting a false negative or a false positive. If you are a believer in this type of DIY pregnancy test, then a false negative may cause you to delay the necessary prenatal care your baby requires. At the same time, a false positive can cause a lot of emotional distress when you eventually find out that you are not having a baby. The disappointment can be immense if you have been trying to conceive for some time.

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Summary

If you feel you may be pregnant, it is better to use a store-bought home pregnancy test instead of the bleach pregnancy test. If you want to be certain, then it is best to have a pregnancy test administered by your doctor. Home pregnancy tests are very simple to use, and you will also receive the test results within a couple of minutes. These tests also look for the presence of the pregnancy hormone hCG in the urine. While homemade do-it-yourself bleach pregnancy tests are easy to perform and do not involve a trip to the store, these tests are not that accurate. There is also no scientific evidence to show that they detect the pregnancy hormone. The bleach pregnancy test may also pose a risk to your safety and health. This is why it is best to have a doctor confirm your pregnancy and help you begin the necessary prenatal care for your baby’s and your health.

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