Rabbit test

Rabbit Test for Pregnancy

Introduction

The "rabbit test" is a historical biological test for pregnancy, developed in the early 20th century. It involved injecting a woman's urine into an unmated female rabbit and later examining the rabbit's ovaries for the presence of corpora lutea, which would indicate that the woman was pregnant.

Development and History

The test was developed following the discovery of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone found in the urine of pregnant women. The rabbit test became one of the first reliable tests for early pregnancy detection.

Scientific Basis

The presence of hCG in a pregnant woman's urine stimulates the ovarian follicles in rabbits, leading to the formation of corpora lutea. The test capitalized on this hormonal response to determine pregnancy.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) molecule, the hormone detected in the rabbit test.

Procedure

The procedure involved:

• Collecting urine from a woman suspected to be pregnant.
• Injecting the urine subcutaneously into an unmated female rabbit.
• After a period, the rabbit was sacrificed, and its ovaries were examined for the presence of corpora lutea.

Misconceptions and Reality

A common misconception was that the rabbit would die only if the woman was pregnant. However, the rabbit was sacrificed in all cases to examine the ovaries, regardless of the pregnancy test result.

Historical Significance and Replacement

The rabbit test was an important step in the development of reproductive biology. However, it was eventually replaced by more humane and less invasive immunoassay techniques, which did not require the use of live animals.

Ethical Considerations

The use of animals in early pregnancy tests raises significant ethical considerations, reflecting the evolving standards in medical testing and animal welfare.

References

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