In the 1960s, confirming a pregnancy meant a doctor’s appointment, a lab referral, and up to two weeks of waiting. But in 1967, a 26-year-old graphic designer at a pharmaceutical company looked at rows of lab test tubes and thought: Why can’t a woman do this herself at home? That question led to the creation of one of the most transformative consumer health products of the 20th century—the home pregnancy test.
An Idea Sparked by Simplicity
Margaret Crane was a freelance designer working for Organon in West Orange, New Jersey. Her job involved packaging cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. While walking through a lab one day, she noticed racks of test tubes used to detect pregnancy from urine samples sent by doctors. The setup was simple: a chemical reaction revealed results using a mirror and reagents. Crane immediately recognized that this process could be done at home.
She wasn’t a scientist and had no formal training in chemistry. But with trial and error, she created a prototype housed in a plastic box modeled after a paperclip container. It included a dropper, a test vial, a mirror, and a stand. It looked more like a toy science kit than a medical device, but it worked—delivering results within two hours instead of two weeks.
The Prototype That Looked Like a Toy
Crane called the early device the Predictor. She held the patent, but it was assigned to Organon, who licensed it to other companies. Her prototype was eventually used to launch home pregnancy tests like e.p.t. and Answer in 1977. Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration didn’t approve home tests until 1976, the Predictor was first manufactured in Canada in 1971.
Organon had concerns. Executives worried the product might cut into business from physicians who relied on lab services. Internally, some rejected the idea outright. Crane recalled other prototype submissions included designs with flowers, tassels, or colorful patterns—none of which looked reliable. Her clean, practical design was chosen by ad executive Ira Sturtevant, who became her business and life partner.
Resistance, Rejection, and Release
Crane had to sign away her patent rights for one dollar, which she says she never received. She didn’t object—she got the marketing contract instead and launched a campaign with the slogan: “You can do it by yourself, at home, in private, in minutes.” Initial reception from male executives was negative, and some doctors objected to the idea. Still, once released, the product was quickly embraced by women.
From Forgotten to the Smithsonian
Despite her name being on the patent, Crane was largely forgotten until 2012, when a magazine article failed to credit her. Encouraged by her niece, she brought the prototype out of storage. It was later acquired by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Crane, who continued to work into her seventies, said she was glad it found a permanent place: not discarded, but documented.
In the 1960s, finding out if you were pregnant meant a doctor’s visit, lab work, and weeks of waiting.
But in 1967, a 26-year-old graphic designer with no science background created a working prototype of a home pregnancy test that changed everything…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/1oHRRUA0co
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) June 9, 2025