Home pregnancy test with a shampoo- ever heard of such a thing? Shocked and surprised? Don’t worry; it is not as jarring as it sounds. There are many kinds of pregnancies, with regard to the nature of its existence. There are wanted pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies, accidental pregnancies, and pregnancies that are longed for.
Whichever the case, a carrying woman will first want to find out for herself whether or not she is actually pregnant. You may not want people to know until you are sure. You may be hesitant about visiting a drugstore, for fear of being recognized. What if we tell you there are ways to check pregnancy naturally at home- privately and conveniently- using the things you already have?
Relieved? Well.
You might be glad to know that there are methods to make your own pregnancy test at home, with things you have at hand. The approach towards the results of these pregnancy tests is incredibly varied. Now they are not a 100% accurate way of determining a pregnancy, but can sure give you some idea. In this article, we shed some light on how to conduct a home pregnancy test with shampoo.
Home Pregnancy Test With Shampoo
When a woman gets pregnant, her body (precisely the placenta) starts to produce a hormone called hCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin). This hormone will be present in the blood and urine of the pregnant woman.
Many ingredients we use in our everyday life products (like toothpaste, soap, vinegar, baking soda, bleach, sugar, etc.) react with this hormone hCG. This is the basics of homemade pregnancy tests.
Calculate Due Date With Conception Date
Related Reading: 18 Early Signs Of Pregnancy Before Periods
This homemade pregnancy test with shampoo is a DIY pregnancy test conducted using some shampoo and the urine of the woman. Even though its accuracy is still a topic for debate, many women still rely on this home pregnancy test. The persons who advocate for a home pregnancy test with shampoo believe that some shampoo chemicals react with hCG.
But not all shampoos are same – they vary in colours, ingredients and purpose. So whether a homemade pregnancy test with white shampoo or other shampoos’ is more accurate? Many people use a white shampoo like head and shoulders to conduct this pregnancy test.
However, there are no rules regarding a shampoo to use when it comes to the process of doing the pregnancy test. However, coloured shampoos might change the appearance of urine that is likely to impede with the interpretation of the results. That’s why people use white shampoo for conducting a home pregnancy test with shampoo. The colour change is more pronounced and easy to spot.
When To Take Home Pregnancy Test With Shampoo?
When to take a homemade pregnancy test with shampoo might play an important part in the accuracy of the result. You have to keep in mind that there will be one or a combination of chemicals in the shampoo that reacts with hCG.
The pregnancy detection strips have an exact concentration of the exact chemical that reacts with HCG in the urine of the woman. This cannot be claimed ina home pregnancy test with shampoo.
Related Reading: When To Take Home Pregnancy Test
Therefore, it is always better to choose a time when the hCG level in urine peaks to conduct a homemade pregnancy test. To increase the chances of accuracy, wait for a week after missing your period to conduct a home pregnancy test with shampoo.
This way, your body will have the necessary time needed to create the required amount of HCG, so that it can be present in your urine. Of course, this will only happen if you are, in fact, pregnant.
When to conduct a home pregnancy test?
If you don’t want to wait for so long, or if you want to get your result before the time you are supposed to get your period, then it is best to wait to take the test at least a couple of weeks after you have had unprotected (or otherwise uncertain) sex. In order to confirm your result, it is always better to try again after a few days.
Also, make sure you do not drink an excess of water right before you take the home pregnancy test with shampoo. This is because drinking a lot of water will cause your urine to become diluted, along with the HCG content. You will not get accurate results.
It is best to take the test first thing in the morning, right after you wake up. This is because, unless you urinate several times during the night, your urine will have the most HCG content in the morning.
The above information should have given you a proper plan on when to take your homemade pregnancy test. Now, let us explore the ways in which you can make the homemade pregnancy test with shampoo, using only the items you already have at home.
Pregnancy Test With Shampoo – Things You Need
It is quite surprising when you have been told that a commonly used hair care product like shampoo can be used to find out if you are pregnant or not. However, if you are going ahead with this test, please keep in mind that its accuracy is not yet proven scientifically.
Like in the case of any test, you have to make sure certain things are ready before starting a pregnancy test with shampoo. Here’s what you need:
- Shampoo – 1 to 2 teaspoon
- Water – required amount
- Urine – half-cup ( if possible use the first urine of the day)
- Sterilized bowl/container – 2 numbers
- Clean stirrer -1 number
How To Do Home Pregnancy Test With Shampoo?
After collecting the things you need for doing this test, follow the below listed process-
- In one of the sterilized bowl collect half a cup of urine
- In the second bowl, take some water
- Into the second bowl put a few drops of shampoo
- Mix it thoroughly until it becomes a fine soapy solution
- Into this solution, add a little amount of urine
- Never shake the mixture, as this can bring about foam or bubbles
- Just mix it slowly with a clean stirrer
- Now observe the solution for changes or reactions
- It might take 5 to 7 minutes for the changes to appear – be patient
Related Reading: How To Do A Home Pregnancy Test With Vinegar – Things You Need And Process
Interpreting Results Of Home Pregnancy Test With Shampoo
Interpreting the pregnancy test result is a vital part when it comes to doing a home pregnancy test with shampoo. Those who support this homemade pregnancy test believe that the hCG in the urine makes shampoo to foam or bubble if a woman is pregnant.
Like many other homemade pregnancy tests, the shampoo pregnancy test shows a slight reaction when mixed with a pregnant woman’s urine. As the reactions will be slight, you have to focus more while interpreting the results.
Here is how you can interpret the result of this home pregnancy test result. After observing for five to seven minutes:
- If you observe the mixture starts to froth or bubbles forms on the surface, most probably the test is positive, and you are pregnant!
- On the other hand, if the mixture remains without any noticeable change and there are no signs of bubble or forth even after 7 minutes, you can count the result as negative and not pregnant
How Reliable Is A Home Pregnancy Test With Shampoo?
Even though a homemade pregnancy test with shampoo brings about the result without much delay, there is no scientific theory or basis for this test. Therefore, when it comes to accuracy, no one can claim 100 per cent accuracy.
However, we can’t overlook the fact that this test worked for many women, and many of them stated this in many forums. Homemade pregnancy tests have their own limitations. Here are some of the limitations of homemade pregnancy tests that potentially affect the accuracy of the result:
- First and foremost limitations of these homemade tests are lack of standardized nature. There is no systematic or standardized measure in the quantity or quality of ingredients used in a homemade pregnancy test
- In other words, people can use different shampoos to conduct this test. And, different shampoo might give different results depending on the constituents and variations of its presence in that particular shampoo
- Likewise, there is no standardization on volume. People might use less urine and more shampoo than required or vice versa. This might affect the reaction and accuracy of the result
- Moreover, factors like the cleanliness of the utensils (like stirrer and bowl), when the pregnancy test is taken, dilution of the urine, etc. can also affect the home pregnancy tests’ accuracy
Therefore, the accuracy of the result that one should expect to get from these sorts of tests will usually be a trial-run type. Which means the chances of hit and miss are equal.
Conclusion
Homemade pregnancy tests come in various shades and forms. If a woman has had unprotected sex, she might worry about if she is carrying or not. If she needs to find out without attracting others’ attention, then a home pregnancy test is a fast and economical option.
However, irrespective of the results of a homemade pregnancy test, we strongly recommend you go for other confirmation tests before accepting the result. False-negative and false-positive are quite common with these kinds of homemade pregnancy tests.
Therefore, even if the pregnancy test shows negative, and still you have a feeling you are pregnant or experience early pregnancy symptoms, consult a gynaecologist and conduct necessary tests to confirm the result. Likewise, even if you get a positive test result, before disclosing it to others get confirmed by a doctor.
On a general note, take these tests as preliminary ones rather than a confirmation test.