Pregnancy in the 1970s

Our local chemist did the urine tests where you handed it in and got the results some time (days?) later.

I used a Predictor test in 1983, but confirmation of my first pregnancy in 1972 relied on me being a minimum of two weeks late for a period and then the doctor sending off a urine sample. The wait for the result was two working weeks. When my mum was pregnant her friends used to ask if the 'rabbit died?' A history of pregnancy tests is here: www.early-pregnancy-tests.com/history

Sorry to sound cynical, but getting pregnant in those days (mine were in the 60's) wasn't such a big deal as it seems to be now. It just happened if you were in a relationship.
When I got pregnant with my first it was the time of the thalidomide scare and I remember going to the Dr. and he re-assured me.

I've remembered the name of my test - it was called Predictor. And when I googled it, the memories came flooding back. It was a test tube in a perspex box, with an angled mirror underneath, and you'd to wait 2 hours and see if a brown circle formed at the bottom of the tube. 2 hours!! I'm pretty sure these were state of the art in 1980, so not available much before then.

I agree . My children were all born in the 70's and it was a trip to the doctor's with a urine sample.I don't remember any internal examinations.

I had my first child in 1979. I had a missed period, took urine sample to the doctor's, then had to phone a few days later from a phone box for the result.
I was then referred to the local maternity hospital, where I had an internal to confirm.
Oh so different in those days.
Many years later, teaching in my local community, I sent my friend to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test, as I didn't want anyone to see me.
What I didn't think about was that she was also well known and conclusions were jumped to!

In 1978 I became pregnant with younger son. I don’t think that home pregnancy kits were available, and a test via the GP took about 2 weeks to get results. I knew someone who actively supported LIFE, a Catholic anti-abortion organisation. They held testing kits. So she did one for me.

I was pregnant in 1975. A test was available through the local chemist (take in a urine sample, they sent it off to a lab, went back for the result) but I lived in a large city (Manchester)

Certainly by 1980, when I was first pregnant, over the counter tests were available, as I remember weeing on the stick doing one at home. It must have taken a few minutes for the result to come through as I had my last ever cigarette while we were waiting ).

But they must have been fairly new or not very reliable as we didn't trust the result. I took a urine sample (in a normal small bottle) into the chemists in town to double-check. And yes, I'd to go back in for the result a few days later.

1972- missed one period, wait at least 2 weeks , see the doctor who'd check a urine sample, then subject you to an internal exam and refer you to the local maternity unit. No tests as we know them now.

I was 20.

My daughter was born in 1970. It was a case of missed period, seeing the doctor who told me to bring a urine sample in. He then gave me an internal examination and asked me which hospital I wished to be under and that was that.

I had my first son in 1976 and a late period was all it took. Don’t remember having a ‘test’