Can A Rabbit Tell You If You're Pregnant?

Before the days of instant home pregnancy tests, women seeking confirmation of their suspicions faced a far more invasive and ethically troubling ordeal: the rabbit test. Developed in the 1930s, this test involved injecting a woman's urine into a female rabbit. After a few days, the rabbit would be dissected to examine its ovaries for signs of hormonal changes induced by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone produced during pregnancy.
The development of more reliable and humane pregnancy tests in the 1960s and 70s, such as the hemagglutination inhibition test and radioimmunoassay, marked the rabbit test's decline. Finally, the arrival of home pregnancy tests in the late 1970s made accurate pregnancy detection readily available and completely eliminated the need for the rabbit test's barbaric practice.
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[@sethcarson5212]

So weird. Why couldn't they just have the lady piss on a bushel of wheat and wait to see if it sprouted like normal folks do? The wheat method is almost 50% accurate too.

[@TheStrangerous]

I read about that! And it's every bit as strange. 😆

[@tuffjiggly8566]

If it's 50% accurate, isn't that like a coin toss?

[@sethcarson5212]

@@tuffjiggly8566 Yeah, that's another method. Heads you pregnant tails you aren't. Good idea TJ

[@Cavebat11]

How do people figure this out? Who came up with the idea to inject a rabbit with urine then check its ovaries? I have so many questions

[@TheStrangerous]

Agreed. I need to know how they got this idea.

[@craigthomson9839]

Never use a goat!

[@TheStrangerous]

You want a Damian? That's how you get a Damian. 🤣

[@the_shadow_hog]

It was referenced in an episode of MASH... I watched a lot of rerurns as a kid

[@jeffmaesar]

Poor rabbits :(

[@joeltaylor2830]

Anyone else remember the "What's Up Doc?" episode of M*A*S*H where they used Radar's rabbit to test if Hotlips was pregnant?

[@raymundoii]

One would think the bullfrogs would've been more sustaineable.

[@Phred_Phlintstoner]

So could you eat the rabbit afterward? The urine should have been filtered out by then, so it should have been able to be eaten, no?

[@TheStrangerous]

That seems like a reasonable conclusion.

[@CharlesRubach]

Why are you the way you are? Lol. Interesting, but so disturbing and sad.

[@jacklynhanson8499]

Denton medical professionals also use frogs?

[@kbeazy_3050]

Like the new content! hoping to get some news about the state of your other channels soon.

[@TheStrangerous]

Thanks! But I'm not involved with MR any longer, so I can't help you there. :)

[@kbeazy_3050]

@@TheStrangerous appreciate the transparency here.

[@wolfiemac32]

Poor bunnies, should have used frogs! Xenopus leavis frogs lay eggs if you do the same thing.

[@TheStrangerous]

Yup! Glad they finally figured that one out.

[@ikaika0083]

Thank you Jason for answering a question that’s been living rent free in my memory since seeing an old “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” rerun nigh on 30 years ago. Little me wondered why she loved that rabbit so much that she burst out crying when she found out it died…

[@TheStrangerous]

HA! Yeah, there are lots of pop-cultural references to it around that time.