The cliché in every movie and TV series is that pregnancy tests are done by doing them in the toilet. This is because the test kit sold detects the presence of the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in urine. This makes sharing positive test kit results seem a bit awkward. This awkwardness is about to end as the first pregnancy test kits using saliva have gone on sale in the UK and Ireland.
The SaliStick kit works like a Covid-19 test kit. There is a plastic rod placed in the mouth that will collect the saliva. This plastic rod is then inserted into the SaliStick test stalk. Results will be given within 10 minutes. In tests performed, SaliStick has an accuracy of up to 90% with pregnancy detected as early as 4 weeks after the last menstrual cycle.
Like the urine test kit, SaliStick also detects the presence of hCG hormone but in saliva. It however has a drawback where it can only be used 30 minutes after eating and drinking. With SaliStick the test can be done anywhere without having to find a toilet and urine dirtying the hands.
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