A pregnancy test that works on saliva has been developed

A new product was recently launched in the UK that can detect pregnancy with only a saliva sample. The Jerusalem-based start-up, Salignostics, created the product, called Salistick, which is the first of its kind in the world.

Salistick offers women an alternative to classic urine-based pregnancy tests, and the kit is available in the UK and Ireland. To use the product, a woman simply places a foam-tipped stick in her mouth for a few moments, then transfers her saliva sample to a plastic tube where a biochemical reaction takes place.

The test accurately detects hCG, a hormone specific to pregnancy. Results are displayed within five to fifteen minutes, with early indications appearing as early as three minutes. Salistick was launched after clinical trials in Israel on more than 300 women. It has received certification for marketing in the European Union and has also applied for FDA approval to sell the product in the US.