Pregnancy Test with Salt- How does it work and its effectiveness

There is no scientific explanation of how home salt pregnancy tests work. Many users on the internet say that the pregnancy hormone hCG in the female’s urine reacts with salt, causing the mixture to change the texture or curdle. But there is no evidence backing up this theory, and no specific reason why salt and hCG would cause such a reaction.

How accurate is the salt pregnancy test at home?

The salt pregnancy test is not believed to be fully accurate. It is more like other DIY pregnancy tests, which are not reliable either. There is no reliable evidence, either from studies or by major medical organizations that suggest that the salt pregnancy test can accurately tell you if a female is pregnant or not. Moreover, there is no evidence that salt itself can possibly detect or react with the pregnancy hormone hCG in the female’s urine.

What about the females who claim the test worked for them? They got lucky maybe. Taking the at-home salt pregnancy test is like flipping a coin. As there are only 2 possible outcomes, pregnant or not pregnant, there is a 50/50 chance the female may get an accurate outcome.

When should a female take the home salt pregnancy test?

Believers of the salt pregnancy test say that a female should take this test first thing in the morning, with the day’s first urine as that is when the hCG hormone is most concentrated in the urine. But as salt cannot reliably predict the presence of pregnancy hormones, it is just an unproven theory.

In fact, there is no good reason to take this test at all, mainly because one cannot rely on the accuracy of the results. And an inaccurate result might impact a potential pregnancy in the future. For example, if the test gives the female a false negative, she might get a late start in taking her prenatal vitamins or seeking prenatal care.

If you want to confirm whether you are truly pregnant, the best bet is to take a home pregnancy test kit or visit your gynecologist after a missed period.  There are plenty of pregnancy tests in the market which can give a 99 % accurate test result.

How to do the salt pregnancy test at home?

According to several sources, none of which have scientific credentials, a female would need the following for a salt pregnancy test-

• A small, clean, non-porous cup to collect the urine 
• A small, clean, non-porous  cup for the salt-urine mixture
• Some spoonfuls of regular table salt

Ideally, the female is supposed to use a transparent cup for the mixture so she can better see the results.

The type of salt is not really specified beyond on most sites. So it is assumed that regular common salt is good to go. Varieties of salt like kosher salt or Himalayan sea salt are no-nos.

Salt pregnancy test procedure

1. First, add a couple of spoonfuls of common salt in a clear bowl or cup.
2. Then, collect a small amount of morning’s first urine in a separate container.
3. Pour the urine over the salt.
4. Wait and let the mixture settle for a few minutes.

Here is where things get even more arguable. Some sources suggest waiting a few minutes, while others say to wait for a couple of hours.  So, it is another confusion in the concept and working of the salt pregnancy test. 

How to read the results of a salt pregnancy test?

• What a negative salt pregnancy test looks like- Supposedly, if the mixture does not change and nothing happens, it means that the test is negative and all you have is a cup stained with salty urine.
• What a positive salt pregnancy test looks like- As per various sources, a positive salt pregnancy test is supposed to be milky or cheesy in texture and appearance. The claim is that the salt reacts with the hCG hormone present in the urine and blood during pregnancy.

Final Words

If you think you are pregnant, buy a home pregnancy test or visit your doctor. If you are just curious to test with the salt pregnancy, go for it, there is no harm. But, do not rely on the test.

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