An Israeli start-up has developed a pregnancy test that provides the result within minutes using a saliva sample. The accuracy is well over 90 percent. In terms of price, it is at the level of previous processes.
According to the manufacturer, a saliva home pregnancy test developed in Israel is to be launched in Europe next year. The “Salistick” is the world’s first saliva-based pregnancy test, said a spokeswoman.
The product from the start-up company Salignostics works in a similar way to a conventional urine pregnancy test. An absorbent stick must first be placed in the mouth and then placed in a narrow test container. There, within minutes, a strip for “not pregnant” or two strips for “pregnant” appear on an ad.
According to the manufacturer, the test can be used from the first day of a missed period. According to earlier data, it has a sensitivity of 95 percent and a specificity of 97 percent. Sensitivity indicates how well a test detects pregnancy. The specificity states how many women who are not pregnant are recognized as such.
The product received a CE mark, it said. With the CE mark, manufacturers ensure compliance with European protection and quality standards. The “Salistick” should cost around ten euros, about as much as conventional urine tests, the company said.