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In this blog, I will tell you about a very popular supposed home pregnancy test. How accurate is it to confirm a pregnancy using chlorine? Is it safe to use home tests? How can you be 100% sure that a pregnancy exists? Here’s the story:
How Does the Chlorine Pregnancy Test Work?
The chlorine pregnancy test has become popular on different websites and social platforms. The procedure to perform this test involves taking the first-morning urine, placing it in a transparent container, and adding chlorine. When observing the urine, if it changes color or creates a lot of foam, it means there is a pregnancy.1
Breaking Down the Chlorine Pregnancy Test. Is it reliable?
No! Adding chlorine to your urine does NOT confirm a pregnancy due to various factors, the most important being that there is no scientific evidence to support this practice.
Secondly, the lack of precision with measurements or quantities is not mentioned, nor is the amount of urine or chlorine, and the procedure description is very general. To correctly perform a scientific protocol, it must be reproducible in different places by different people and obtain consistent results. In this case, the following questions are unsolved: How much urine should I use? How much chlorine do I need?
A third point is obtaining the result, which is vague and subjective: What does “a lot of foam” mean? How do we define “color change”? What color is expected in the urine? Once again, the lack of precision measurements on the results reflects that we cannot trust the safety of this procedure.
It is essential to understand that home methods, like the chlorine test, can generate false confidence or unnecessary anxiety. If you suspect you are pregnant, the best thing is to take a pregnancy test that is approved and recommended by health professionals, which will provide a much more accurate and safe response.
What other myths, experiments, or home pregnancy tests exist?
Beyond the little or no reliability of these home experiments, it should be noted how unhygienic it is to use home ingredients like these and the risks that can occur if any come into contact with sexual organs. Some of these unreliable tests use ingredients like oil, vinegar, soap, toothpaste, or sugar, among others.
As you can see, although they are not truthful, many home tests use different products you can find at home as a base. We mentioned a brief list earlier so you would know them, but do not rely on their results. For a reliable result, it is better to use other methods with scientific evidence to support them.3
If you have a positive pregnancy test and are not sure you want to continue, you should know about organizations that support women and childbearing people in their decisions and offer remote medical guidance throughout the country through connections with professionals, such as Telefem. If you need support, send us a WhatsApp.
Which is the safest way to confirm a pregnancy?
There are three safe options to confirm a pregnancy:3
1. Home urine test: This type of test can be found in any pharmacy and is performed with a small urine sample collected by the device. It detects the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone (hCG) and should be done in the first days you notice the absence of your menstrual period or a couple of days after. Waiting a few days allows for a more definitive confirmation, since if it is performed a few days after the alleged sexual encounter or if it is performed without contraception, the result may not be reliable.
2. Lab tests: These can be done through a blood or urine analysis. Like the previous method, this also detects the presence of the hCG hormone, which is produced approximately 10 days after fertilization. This test can be done a few days before the expected period date, as it is more sensitive, although it is recommended to do it on days close to the expected period date.
3. Echography or ultrasound: These are performed in laboratories or public or private health services. They verify the presence or absence of an embryo in the uterus. This method is the most effective, as it offers a visual review of the uterus, showing the presence or absence of an embryo and providing a more precise estimation of gestation time.
If you have a positive pregnancy test and do not wish to continue with a pregnancy, at Telefem we are a non-profit organization that connects you with specialists who can advise you.
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* This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice and applies only to Mexico’s law and context.
References:
1. Fernández P. 10 pruebas caseras para saber si estás embarazada. Tests seguros hechos en casa. [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://www.guiainfantil.com/articulos/embarazo/quedar-embarazada/10-pruebas-caseras-para-saber-si-estas-embarazada-tests-seguros-hechos-en-casa/
2. Esteban E. El increíble test del jabón para confirmar un embarazo. Test casero de embarazo. [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://www.guiainfantil.com/articulos/embarazo/pruebas/el-increible-test-del-jabon-para-confirmar-un-embarazo-test-casero-de-embarazo/
3. Ipas Latinoamérica y el Caribe (Ipas LAC). Material de apoyo para el acompañamiento del aborto. 1. Antes de un aborto. 1era ed. 2022. [Internet]. [Visit January 2025]. Available at: https://ipaslac.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IpasLAC2022-AcompanamientoAborto1.pdf