Pregnancy test: Urine has been used by the Egyptians for about 4,000 years

The first urine pregnancy test was created in ancient Egypt thousands of years ago; in the study the pee was used to irrigate the grains of barley and wheat

The history leading up to the current and practical pregnancy tests, made with urine, is far from linear, but begins about 4 thousand years ago with the Egyptians, as revealed by an ancient text from 1350 BC, the Berlin Papyrus.

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Before delving into antiquity, it is worth remembering that pregnancy tests, as we know them today, only appeared in the late 60s and became established on the market in the 70s. hCG) in the urine of pregnant women.

This hormone is produced by placental cells during pregnancy and begins to be detected from test pee after menstruation is delayed or from the 10th day of fertilization – the meeting of the sperm with the egg, starting the process of embryo formation. In the latter case there is a risk of false positives and false negatives. Therefore, it is always worth confirming with a blood test in laboratory.

Biomarkers found in urine

Today science knows it urine can reveal different problems and health issues like diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), infections or even systemic lupus erythematosus, as well as pregnancy. However, thousands of years ago, these biomarkers were completely unknown.

Nevertheless, the ancients did know something that the possibility of pregnancy could be detected in a woman’s urine, along with other signs, such as delayed menstruation and nausea.

pregnancy test egypt

In an article in the scientific journal Clinical chemistryresearcher Glenn Braunstein, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in the United States, describes what a “standard” pregnancy test was like in ancient Egypt, based on the translation of the Berlin papyrus.

In a simple way, the woman with suspected pregnancy needed to urinate for a few days in two bags containing grains of barley and wheat. Both contained, in addition to cereals, dates and sand. After the experiment, the following results indicated the chances of pregnancy:

• If the two sacks of grain sprouted, the woman would give birth;
• If only wheat is born, she will give birth to a girl;
• If only barley is born, she will give birth to a male child.

While no logical relationship can be identified between the sex of the baby and the grain that develops, it is certain that the method was able to predict, with some level of accuracy, a case of pregnancy.

“It is likely that estrogen and perhaps other growth factors, present in the urine of pregnancy, are responsible for stimulating plant growth in this and other plant-based assays described in the papyri and subsequent texts,” explains the author. Braunstein, in the article.

Leaving Egypt, the idea that urine was associated with pregnancy gained strength during the Middle Ages in Europe. The matter was followed to the letter so that some doctors of the time earned the nickname of “piss prophets” for having analyzed changes in your urine, such as discolourationconcerning a possible pregnancy. In some tests, the liquid was even mixed with wine.

New pee tests in the contemporary age

Only more “recently”, in 1930, did the researchers publish in the journal Medical history an analysis revisiting the Egyptian method of predicting pregnancy using urine. Incredibly, the test had, in part, a scientific basis. According to the authors, the urine of pregnant women caused the germination of the grains in 70% of the cases. However, no relationship to the sex of the child has been established.

Earlier this year, other scientists were using the urine of possibly pregnant women to inoculate other creatures, such as mice and rabbits. If substances in the pee caused changes in the ovary, seen in the autopsy exams, this was a positive sign of pregnancy. Other tests were performed with frogs, but it was not until the 1950s that the current generation of rapid pregnancy tests began to be developed. They were initially highly inaccurate.

Source: Clinical chemistry AND Medical history

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Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.