In the media last month it was reported the world’s first flushable pregnancy test is due to launch later this year.
The test, designed to be flushed away discreetly after use, will be the first of its kind.
The home pregnancy test hasn’t changed much over the past 30 years.
Digital result windows have revolutionised the market in recent years, making it easier to understand the results. But the plastic stick design has stayed pretty much the same since it was first introduced.
Lia Diagnostics, the company set to introduce the first flushable pregnancy test, is about to change all of that.
World’s First Flushable Pregnancy Test To Launch This Year
The test will offer women a disposable, environmentally sustainable and discreet way to find out whether or not they are pregnant.
The test, which looks similar to a sanitary towel in design, weighs as little as just six sheets of standard toilet roll.
The company website says:
“We get it. Leaving a pregnancy test in the trash means anyone, like your snoopy roommates or in-laws, can find it. That can be nerve-wracking. With Lia, you just flush and focus on what really matters – your result”.
Most pregnancy tests are made from plastic and, if not recycled, end up in landfill. For people hoping to eschew single-use plastic, the Lia will revolutionise pregnancy testing.
Co-founders Anna Simpson and Bethany Edwards created the Lia to reduce the environmental impact of home pregnancy testing. They wanted to create a more sustainable test which could match its competitors for ease of use and reliability.
Their website states:
“Lia may be the first of its kind, but it works just like a traditional test. You get the same accurate results as traditional tests, but without all the plastic. That means more breathing room for the earth, and extra karma points for you!”
The test works in a similar way to traditional pregnancy tests. The test detects levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG in urine.
The body produces hCG when a fertilised egg attaches to the uterine wall. The levels of hCG increase rapidly during early pregnancy. Pregnancy tests identify whether hCG is present in the urine. If it is, you get a positive result.
The traditional test with a slimline design can prove difficult to pee on. Hands up if you’ve ever accidentally peed on your hand while taking a test. The new sanitary towel-like design provides a larger surface area, making it easier to take the test.
This might not sound like a big deal, but getting pee on your hands is not pleasant (although it is a good way of easing yourself into the demands of motherhood, which invariably include getting peed on a lot).
The test is biodegradable and can be flushed away after use. Not only is this more environmentally friendly, it also allows women to take the tests in private, without having to use public restrooms or hiding their tests at the bottom of a bin.
The test will show two lines for a positive result and a single line for a negative result. Lia is 99% effective, making it similar to other home pregnancy tests on the market.
The tagline for the product is simple:
“There’s no trace, no waste, and no pee going anywhere it doesn’t belong”.
The product is due to launch later this year. It will be priced at mid-range, and affordable for women looking for a discreet test. Initially, it will be available to buy online. When they make a purchase, customers can also choose to donate money to global women’s organisations.
Edwards spoke to Refinery29’s Kimberly Truong:
“We really believe in supporting women on a variety of levels, which is why we kind of stuck out doing this, to prove that women can be engineers and scientists, and inventors, and to make sure that is represented”.
The Lia is about to revolutionise the home pregnancy test market. The only potential downside is scriptwriters will have to think up more ingenious ways for their sit-com and soap opera characters to spill the beans on their unexpected pregnancies.
You can find out more about the pregnancy test and sign up to receive updates, on the company website.
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