Frogs Were Used In Pregnancy Tests

Frogs Were Used In Pregnancy Tests
Between 1930-1950, African clawed frogs were in great demand. These frogs were imported all over the world and used in labs for pregnancy tests. Technicians injected a sample of a woman’s urine into a female frog’s hind leg. If the frog began producing eggs, the woman’s pregnancy hormone was present. The same frogs were used over and over. When hospitals no longer had any use for the frogs, they were released. This resulted in an environmental disaster. African clawed frogs can carry a dangerous fungus. Hundreds of amphibian species have declined because of this fungus.

1. Frogs were used in pregnancy tests between 1930-50.
2. Female African clawed frogs were injected with a woman’s urine. If the frogs began laying eggs, it meant the woman was pregnant.
3. The frogs were eventually released (where they were not a native species). The frogs carry a dangerous fungus that has caused the decline of many amphibian species.