The Feminist Birth of the Home Pregnancy Test

Making Contact

In 1965 Margaret Crane was a young designer creating packaging for a pharmaceutical company. Looking at the rows of pregnancy tests she thought, “Well, women could do that at home!” and so she made it a reality for potentially pregnant people to be able to know about and take control of their own lives and bodies.

But while the design of the prototype was simple, Crane faced the issues we continue to fight when it comes to reproductive rights and the health and autonomy of people who give birth: an uphill battle to convince the pharmaceutical companies, the medical community and conservative social leaders that at-home pregnancy testing was safe and necessary. After all this, Crane is only now receiving credit for her contributions to the industry. Learn more about the story and find the transcript on radioproject.org. Making Contact is an award-winning, nationally syndicated radio show and podcast featuring narrative storytelling and thought-provoking interviews. We cover the most urgent issues of our time and the people on the ground building a more just world.

EPISODE FEATURES: This episode features Margaret Crane, graphic designer and inventor of the first home pregnancy test; Wendy Kline, Dema G. Seelye Chair in the History of Medicine, History Faculty Purdue University; Jesse Olszynko-Gryn, Head of the Laboratory for Oral History and Experimental Media at Max Planck Institute for the History of Science; Arthur Kover, Emeritus Professor of Marketing, Fordham University; and Alexandra Lord, Chair, Division of Medicine and Science at the National Museum of American History.

MAKING CONTACT: This episode is hosted by Amy Gastelum. It is produced by Anita Johnson, Lucy Kang, Salima Hamirani, and Amy Gastelum. Our executive director is Jina Chung. MUSIC: This episode includes “Podington Bear,” by Rhythm and Strings.

Learn More:

• National Museum of American History
• A Woman's Right to Know, Pregnancy Testing in 20th Century Britain
• "Predictor" by Jennifer Blackmer