An innovative pregnancy test has just been designed for visually impaired and blind women, to allow them to know the result alone, in private. They are in fact often deprived of this moment because conventional tests are not suitable.
Taking a pregnancy test is often an emotional moment for expectant mothers. Depending on the result, it may turn out a dream, a desire. However, women are not all equal when it comes to these little sticks. Indeed, pregnancy tests sold in pharmacies and supermarkets are not suitable for visually impaired and blind women.
As a result, most of the time, they have to involve another person in this pregnancy test to get the answer. A moment meant to be private and intimate, which unfortunately is absolutely not for them. Whether desired or not, a pregnancy is the information you want to receive first, and then decide how to announce it. Visually impaired and blind women are not fortunate enough to have this choice.
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An inclusive prototype
Discrimination against which the Royal Institute of Blind People (RNIB) intends to fight, a British charity providing assistance to the blind, visually impaired and visually impaired. With its "Design for Everyone" innovation campaign, for a more inclusive world, the institute unveiled the prototype of a pregnancy test for blind and visually impaired women. The test allows them to feel the result, thanks to a tactile plate located on the top and equipped with nodules that lifts up in the event that the result is positive. The device works on the same principle as other pregnancy tests, it measures the level of beta-HCG hormone in the urine, but the design is more accessible. In particular, its shape was designed to allow visually impaired and blind women to feel which way to take the test. The model was designed by independent designer Josh Wasserman with help from them.
"It's just small changes to make sure this moment is the same for everyone, regardless of vision level", explains the institute in their presentation video. In the sequence, several visually impaired or blind women explain how difficult it was not to have been able to take their pregnancy test alone. "I should be the first to know, this is my body, and whether or not I'm pregnant, I want to find out first. How is that not yet possible? Sometimes we have no one to accompany us, we even have to ask our neighbors for help (…) and face the judgments of others ", one of them says. "There are different circumstances, some women do not want to have this child and they do not want this news to be made public", adds another.
This test is therefore a big step forward for the inclusion and equality of visually impaired and blind people in society. Printed in 3D, the prototype will cost a little more than a regular pregnancy test, but the instructions for reproducing the test have been posted online for free. It is not known when it will hit the market.