Home Pregnancy Tests Hit The Market

In the 1970s, pregnancy testing became more reliable when researchers discovered how to manipulate testing to better identify levels of hCG. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published their findings and home pregnancy tests soon exploded onto the market in the late '70s.

Suddenly, women could turn their bathrooms into a laboratory complete with test tubes and urine concoctions. Though it could be used at home, the accompanying instructions showed a drawing of a man in a lab coat, indicating that a woman should see a doctor for a definitive answer.