Startup designs the first flushable, eco-friendly pregnancy test

Lia is an innovative redesign of the traditional pregnancy test created with sustainability and privacy in mind.

Very little has changed about the design or application of at-home pregnancy tests since they came on the market thirty years ago. The most common innovation has been to introduce digital components which can increase the accuracy of results, though marginally, and ease of process of reading them. But these enable manufacturers to up the price of the disposable product. Now, Lia is an innovative redesign of the traditional pregnancy test created with sustainability and privacy, rather than profit margins in mind.

Lia was developed by Philadelphia-based startup Lia Diagnostics as part of an Intergrated Product Design program. The discreet, biodegradable kit begins as a credit card-sized envelope and unfolds to resemble a flexible panty-liner, giving the user a larger space to urinate on, and making the process easier. Since the product is made from cellulose it can be flushed down the toilet after use, meaning it can be disposed of discreetly and won’t end up in landfill. The results are also displayed on a larger area than traditional tests, avoiding confusion or misreadings.

At the time of writing Lia Diagnostics are seeking FDA approval and further funding. The company is hoping to have the eco-friendly kit on the market by 2017. Are there other single-use products which could be given a green redesign?