Millions of pregnancy tests are taken every day all around the world by women who are either trying to conceive or confirm their pregnancy.
Since the 1970s, women have been able to determine if they are pregnant by using home pregnancy tests that require peeing on a stick or collecting urine. This method provided a private and convenient alternative to visiting the doctor for confirmation.
However, this all is going to change soon with the world’s inaugural oral pregnancy test.
A Jerusalem-based startup Salignostics has created the saliva-based pregnancy test kit ‘Salistick’. The world’s first-ever oral pregnancy test allows women to conduct the tests conveniently using saliva at any time and location.
Image by Salignostics
Salistick incorporates the same cutting-edge technology utilized in the development of COVID-19 testing kits.
The process involves using a handheld applicator to collect a sample of saliva, which is subsequently inserted into an analysis unit. Within a mere 10 minutes, the results are displayed on a screen. A positive pregnancy test is indicated by two lines, while a negative result is represented by a single line.
According to its developers, the Salistick test boasts an impressive accuracy rate of 97 percent.
The test is based on technology that recognizes hCG, a hormone exclusive to pregnancy. This hormone plays a crucial role in preparing the uterus for embryo development.
Currently, it is accessible in the UK and Ireland and gives women an alternative to conventional pregnancy tests.
