Explained: What is the world's first saliva-based pregnancy test kit? Know how it works

A revolutionary product, the first of its type, has been launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland, claiming to revolutionise pregnancy detection. This revolutionary product, dubbed 'Salistick,' allows women to confirm pregnancy using only a saliva sample.

Salistick, created by Salignostics, a Jerusalem-based start-up, is an alternative to traditional urine-based pregnancy tests. The innovative'spit test' is seen as a game changer in the field of home pregnancy testing, providing women with a new degree of convenience and privacy.

According to reports, Salistick is now widely available on store shelves in the United Kingdom and Ireland, marking an important step forward in the advancement of pregnancy detection tools.

How accurate is this?

A company called Abingdon Health has created a new pregnancy test that uses saliva instead of urine, which makes it more convenient and enjoyable to use. This test has an accuracy rate of about 97 percent, meaning it is very reliable. The CEO of Abingdon Health, Chris Yates, explained that this new method allows women to take the test anywhere and at any time. They can even share the results with their partners and loved ones.

In the UK, around 22.5 million pregnancy tests were done last year. The usual way of testing involves analyzing urine samples to check for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which is produced when a fertilized egg attaches to the uterus. While many urine tests claim to be about 99 percent accurate, the actual accuracy depends on when the test is taken because it takes a few days for HCG levels to be detectable.

How does it work?

The new testing kit, called Salistick, uses saliva to determine if a woman is pregnant with a similar level of accuracy as traditional tests. To use it, a woman places a foam-tipped stick from the kit in her mouth for a short time, like using a thermometer, to collect a saliva sample. The results can be seen within five to 15 minutes, with early indications appearing as early as three minutes.

An interesting feature of Salistick is that it can detect pregnancy as early as one day after a missed period. The company behind the product, Salignostics, received certification to sell Salistick in the European Union last year. They have also applied for approval from the FDA to sell the product in the United States. Before launching the product, Salignostics conducted extensive clinical trials in Israel involving more than 300 pregnant and non-pregnant women.

The founders of Salignostics spent many years studying saliva for scientific purposes and eventually created easy-to-use devices that can accurately detect various illnesses and conditions, such as malaria, Covid-19, and assessing the risk of heart problems.