When you skip your period, the first thought in your mind could be, “Am I pregnant?” You may want to confirm it as soon as possible, tomorrow or the same day. The first sign of pregnancy fills you with anxious thoughts and excitement. However, we know not all women are comfortable going to the clinic or buying pregnancy kits, thinking, what if these merely are irrelevant symptoms? In such cases, they may resort to tests such as a vinegar pregnancy test.
Vinegar pregnancy test is one of the most common homemade pregnancy confirmation methods. With this home-based testing, at least, women believe that they will be able to get some idea about pregnancy or if it’s only a false positive. But is the vinegar pregnancy test reliable? Here’s everything you need to know.
In This Article
- What is a Vinegar Pregnancy Test?
- Types of Vinegar You Should Consider For the Pregnancy Test
- Different Types of Vinegar Pregnancy Tests
- How Does the Vinegar Pregnancy Test Work?
- Things You Need to Do a Vinegar Test For Pregnancy
- How to Interpret Vinegar Pregnancy Test Results?
- Advantages of Vinegar Pregnancy Test
- Disadvantages of Vinegar Pregnancy Test
- FAQ’s
What is a Vinegar Pregnancy Test?
A vinegar pregnancy test is a homemade approach to confirm pregnancy. It is believed that when the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin reacts with vinegar, it causes color change and may cause a fizzing reaction. If you observe a color change, it might indicate that you’re pregnant. However, no scientific evidence supports the accuracy of the this test. This home-based pregnancy test lacks scientific validation.
Types of Vinegar You Should Consider For Pregnancy Test
Different types of vinegar are available, such as apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or white vinegar. However, white vinegar is generally preferred for the pregnancy test. White vinegar, when mixed with morning urine, it changes color if you are pregnant. Plain white vinegar is readily available and affordable too.
Different Types of Vinegar Pregnancy Tests
Two different types of vinegar pregnancy tests are said to be effective in confirming pregnancy.
1. Traditional Vinegar Test
In a conventional vinegar test, plain white vinegar is used to confirm a positive pregnancy. The traditional approach follows the color-changing theory. The color of urine and vinegar doesn’t change if you are not pregnant. If you observe color change, this indicates the presence of HCG hormone in urine, indicating positive pregnancy.
2. Tuna Oil Vinegar Test
A mixture of urine, vinegar, and tuna oil can confirm pregnancy. In this test, the solution changes color in negative and positive pregnancy. If the mixture turns greenish blue, it indicates a positive pregnancy; however, if the solution color turns yellow or orange, it confirms a negative pregnancy.
How Does the Vinegar Pregnancy Test Work?
Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone that is one of the hormones secreted during pregnancy (1). It is believed that HCG reacts with vinegar (a form of acid solution), changing color when you add urine. Women can do this in the morning because the HCG level is high during the morning, so the morning is ideal for this test.
Things You Need to Do Vinegar Test For Pregnancy
A vinegar pregnancy test is very simple and you can do it at home easily. All you need is two sterilized / clean cups and white distilled vinegar.
- Take your morning urine sample and mix it into the vinegar.
- Ensure the containers you use are clean, sterile, and safe.
- Add ½ cup of urine to 1 cup of white vinegar. If it changes color, it confirms pregnancy.
- Also, note that urine may contain bacteria, and a small amount of foreign bacteria may encounter the solution and may result in false positive pregnancy test results.
- Hence, vinegar urine tests may not be completely reliable to confirm pregnancy.
How to Interpret Vinegar Pregnancy Test Results?
A woman can easily interpret vinegar pregnancy test results based on color change. A color change indicates a positive pregnancy result. However, if the color does not change, the woman is not pregnant.
Advantages of Vinegar Pregnancy Test
A vinegar pregnancy test is ideal for getting some surety about a positive pregnancy before confirming through medical procedures. It is safe and easily done without any hassles. Here are some of the advantages.
- This test is affordable as vinegar is easily available in homes.
- It is safe and doesn’t cause any harm to you.
- Women can repeat the test multiple times.
- Pregnancy confirmation remains confidential.
Disadvantages of Vinegar Pregnancy Test
Some of the disadvantages of vinegar pregnancy tests are as follows.
- The color-changing prediction is not completely reliable, clear, and evidential.
- This test is not reliable for detecting early-stage pregnancy because HCG level is negligible during the initial stage or until the first week you miss a period.
- It is difficult to determine the accurate ratio of urine to vinegar for the first time.
- The presence of bacteria and other hormones can affect the vinegar pregnancy test outcomes.
Pregnancy news can fill a woman with lots of excitement and joy. A vinegar pregnancy test is a commonly used household method to detect pregnancy. However, this home-based pregnancy test may or may not be reliable. If you skipped your period and are experiencing symptoms, you may rely on a home pregnancy test before going to a doctor for final confirmation.
FAQ’s
1. Is The Vinegar Pregnancy Test Reliable?
Vinegar pregnancy test is not completely reliable. However, it may give you some surety about the HCG presence that is released during pregnancy. The presence of HCG will be detected based on color change after adding urine to the vinegar solution. If the test shows a positive result, you can proceed with a medical test to confirm the pregnancy.
2. How Do I Use Vinegar to Test For Pregnancy?
Take one cup of vinegar and slowly add urine to it. Vinegar pregnancy tests work based on color change. If you observe a color change, it may show you are pregnant.
3. How Can I Be 100 Percent Sure I Am Not Pregnant?
A home pregnancy test is the best way to check if you are pregnant. Following the instructions on the package will ensure you get accurate results. Once you test using a home pregnancy kit, you can confirm the results by visiting a doctor if you are still in doubt.
References
1. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532950/]
