From Fox News · CJ Womack · · 1m 10s
New Yorker essay sparks debate on pregnancy test accuracy
New Yorker's 'kind of pregnant' claim ignites medical and political debate over pregnancy testing
In brief
New Yorker's 'kind of pregnant' claim ignites medical and political debate over pregnancy testing The New Yorker's essay on pregnancy uncertainty faces criticism for misrepresenting biological reality while medical experts clarify pregnancy definitions Originally reported by Fox News.
New Yorker's pregnancy claim
The New Yorker's essay describes women as 'kind of pregnant' or 'a little bit pregnant' during early pregnancy uncertainty
“The essay, "The Unsettling Ambiguity of Early Pregnancy," by Apoorva Tadepalli, examined the uncertainty surrounding early pregnancy tests, miscarriage and viability through the writer's experience with multiple pregnancy losses and her current pregnancy”
Medical definition of pregnancy
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus
“The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus”
Pregnancy test limitations
At-home pregnancy tests detect hCG hormone after implantation but cannot determine pregnancy viability
“The Food and Drug Administration says at-home pregnancy tests detect human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, a hormone produced after a fertilized egg is attached to the uterine wall”
Pregnancy loss experience
The essay author tested positive five times and experienced uncertainty about pregnancy outcomes during multiple losses
“Tadepalli described testing positive during five pregnancies and spending periods of those pregnancies unsure whether she would miscarry”
Pregnancy viability debate
Critics argue pregnancy is a binary state that cannot be 'kind of pregnant' or 'a little bit pregnant'
“A woman cannot be 'a little bit pregnant.' Pregnancy is a physical, biological state that begins when a fertilized embryo implants in the uterus”
Political response
Political figures emphasize pregnancy is a biological reality regardless of testing uncertainty
“You're either pregnant or you're not”
Medical clarification
The FDA notes early testing can produce inaccurate results but does not indicate pregnancy outcomes
“The agency notes that testing too early can produce inaccurate results and that a positive home test does not provide information about how a pregnancy will develop”
The big picture
The New Yorker's essay on pregnancy uncertainty faces criticism for misrepresenting biological reality while medical experts clarify pregnancy definitions
