New Books in Science, Technology, and Society Karen Weingarten, "Pregnancy Test" (Bloomsbury, 2023)
Nov 27, 2025
Karen Weingarten, a cultural historian of reproduction and professor at Queens College, dives into the historical and cultural significance of home pregnancy tests. She reveals how these tests shifted control over reproductive information from male doctors to women, fostering empowerment. Weingarten shares the story of Meg Crane, the inventor of the practical home test, and discusses the commercialization of pregnancy testing and its impact on societal norms. The conversation also touches on how early detection has redefined pregnancy and loss in today's context.
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Chemical Pregnancy Sparked The Inquiry
- Karen Weingarten's sister experienced a chemical pregnancy that produced a fleeting positive test result.
- That family episode sparked Karen's research into how pregnancy tests complicate definitions of pregnancy.
Early Tests Relied On Animal Biology
- The first reliable pregnancy test (1927) used animals and required killing them for diagnosis.
- That method shaped language (e.g., "the rabbit died") and medical gatekeeping around pregnancy information.
Tests Were A Tool Of Medical Control
- Before home tests, pregnancy knowledge was mediated by doctors and labs, which restricted women's access to timely information.
- Controlling test access let doctors influence reproductive choices and delay abortion access.
