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Ancient Egyptian Pregnancy Tests

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husband, father, tech enthusiast

TIL that ancient Egyptians used a surprisingly effective pregnancy test involving barley and wheat seeds.
Around 1350 BCE, women would urinate on bags of these grains, and if they sprouted, it indicated pregnancy. A 1963 study confirmed the test’s accuracy at about 70%. The test likely worked due to elevated estrogen levels in pregnant women’s urine, which promoted seed growth.

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