Salistick, the world’s first ‘spit test,’ has been launched in the UK and Ireland. Developed by Israeli startup Salignostics, this product allows women to detect pregnancy using only their saliva. It operates similarly to COVID-19 testing kits, offering an alternative to traditional urine-based pregnancy tests.
The kit is distributed by Abingdon Health, a prominent British manufacturer and developer of high-quality rapid lateral flow tests. Salignostics and Abingdon Health teamed up in February 2023 to introduce the test kits in the UK and Ireland.
This kit has received Europe’s CE marking and has also gained approval from regulatory bodies in the UK. SaliStick is currently looking for approval from the United States FDA.
The test detects higher levels of β-hCG, commonly known as the pregnancy hormone, which can be found in saliva roughly three to four weeks after conception and continues to rise.
In trials involving over 300 women, the test showed an accuracy of around 95% when taken from the day a period is missed. There is an app available to share the results digitally with loved ones.
Salistick Usage
Using SaliStick is incredibly easy. Users simply need to place a foam-tipped stick in their mouth, similar to a thermometer, to collect a saliva sample.
Afterward, the stick is placed in a provided plastic tube. The tube contains chemicals that react with the saliva to detect the pregnancy hormone.
This detection process takes less than 10 minutes, and in some cases, results can be obtained in under 3 minutes, depending on the level of pregnancy hormone present. Two lines mean pregnancy, while one line means a negative test.
Although slightly less accurate than commonly used urine-based tests, the benefit of the saliva pregnancy test is that you don’t need to locate a restroom or worry about accidental contact while using the test.
However, it’s important to note that you should wait for 30 minutes after eating or drinking before taking the test.
The company has sought FDA authorization to sell its product in the United States. Salignostics has expanded its production capacity to manufacture one million tests each month.
In the UK and Ireland, SaliStick is exclusively available at Superdrug stores, priced at £9.99 (US$12.75), which is similar to other pregnancy tests available in the market.
