IntelliGender (review)

This review is a 3-part review being published all at once.

For anyone who hasn't heard of IntelliGender, it is a baby gender prediction test that you can take as early as 10 weeks of pregnancy. You simply use the first morning urine and.... voila! Test results come in!

Before I get into how easy to use this test was, I'd like to let you know a few things first. One, I've felt that Squiggle was a girl from the moment I found out I was pregnant.... much like I felt Bobble was a boy from the moment I saw those two little lines. This pregnancy has treated me very differently from the start, and that only further confirmed my theory that Squiggle is a girl.

I also want to let you know that, as a fellow blog READER and excited new mother, I had entered an IntelliGender giveaway at another fabulous blogger's page. It just so happened that when IntelliGender got in touch with me in November (after said event ended and I received no notification of winning), that they sent me a test kit to review for all of you once I was far enough along. A couple days after I received that test kit, I received an email stating I won the other giveaway. I'm not sure if the giveaway winner drawing was delayed for whatever reason, or if I simply forgot that I ever entered it in the first place and forgot that it was still going on (I did forget I entered at first!).... but now I had two kits.

My first thought was to give one to a coworker slightly farther along than me and let her test it out too. My husband actually declined that idea, so I then decided to do a more thorough review of the kit for all of you. I decided I would do one at the earliest point possible (exactly 10 weeks), and then again at either 15 weeks or 16 weeks of pregnancy to see if it changed any. Since we know that hormones alter and that morning sickness tends to die off (TENDS to... doesn't always!) a bit after the first trimester, I thought taking it after the first trimester was over would be smart. However, I was very curious as to how the test would read at 10 weeks as well.

 The kit was super easy to use, so that was a relief to me first thing in the morning! You collect a urine sample in a cup, use the syringe to collect the specified amount to add to the test bottle, peel back the sticker on the top of the lid, inject urine slowly, swirl (rapidly!) for 10 seconds, then let it sit for 5 minutes. That's it. I set it on some toilet paper to ensure I had only white contrasting it and that it wouldn't skew the reading at all.

The test was read easily enough, and it was definitely GREEN. If the liquid turns GREEN inside, it means it is a boy. If the liquid turns ORANGE/YELLOW, it means it is a girl. I will admit, my heart sunk a bit when I saw that green. I could have sworn that Squiggle was a little girl! True, the test isn't 100% accurate.... but the trials performed that show the test results are around 90% accurate still had me a little bummed.

 The top two pictures are with flash, the bottom two are without flash. Flash does make a difference in how the colour appears... especially in the lighting you have at 3am!

For the record: I would totally love another boy.... but my hubby only wants two children (I want four!), so if we only have two, I was hoping to have one of each!

I went back to look at the test after about 15 minutes, and noticed that all the granules (now green) had settled to the bottom in a pile, so now you could see yellowish coloured liquid with a pile of green. I decided to email customer service with a picture for them to help read it (and to see how fast of a response you get!), and in the mean time, I compared my results to the sample results they provide for you from various email submissions on their page.

To my surprise, I had a response from the customer service within TWELVE HOURS. Talk about speedy! I was especially surprised since I performed the test around 3am, and emailed them around that time, too. They confirmed my initial reading of BOY.

Now 15 weeks came and went without a test due, but I figured 16 weeks was just as good. Unfortunately, at 16 weeks is when I had that nasty bug that wouldn't allow me to hold down food OR water. Not only did I not feel like taking any test of any sort, but I didn't even have enough liquids in me to feel like I could have provided a decent enough sample amount.

Feeling better at 16 weeks and 3 days, I took the test..... again, at 3 in the morning because that's when I woke up and had to go. (The test recommends first morning urine, at least 2.5 hours after you last went. Last time I recalled going was around 8pm, so I thought this was my best chance!)

Again, I was thankful for how easy it was! Open box, collect sample, inject specified amount, swirl, wait, read. Easy-peasy! This time, at 16 weeks and 3 days...... it was an ORANGE hue! I was super excited! The only thing this made me wish is that I had a test kit for every week to see where it started to change over to orange instead of green, or to see when it definitively changed.

If I had only one test kit, I fully planned on testing around 13 or 14 weeks as that would be out of my first trimester. (Again, referring to the hormonal changes in your body and thinking it might be a better time for me than 10 weeks.) I would probably recommend waiting until 13 weeks, personally, just for that reason.

Now to await the ultrasound! The ultrasound is scheduled for February 11th, so we still have a few weeks to go, yet. Obviously, my first concern is for Squiggle's well being. With all the illness I've had this pregnancy, I really just want to see he/she is developing properly and is healthy! If he/she isn't shy, however, will be an added bonus!

For all pictures taken, I'd like to mention that flash photography skewed the results in those pictures. In the second test performed, use of a flash made the liquid appear greenish (see below for a flash picture from the second test!) despite the fact it was orange.

While the only SURE way to know what your child is would be to wait until birth, and a more reliable way (while still pregnant) is with an ultrasound, IntelliGender is definitely a fun test for any pregnant mother! They are pretty darn accurate (probably more so after the first trimester is officially over, I would think), and super easy to do! You can pick up an IntelliGender test kit at stores like Babies-r-us, Walgreens, CVS, and RiteAid (store locator for retailers carrying this product can be found HERE), or you can order online from IntelliGender for only $27.99! Happy testing, mamas!

Our ultrasound revealed to us that Squiggle is (appearing to be) a very active little GIRL! I had a feeling Squiggle would be a girl, and my later IntelliGender test also suggested as such. I'd probably wait until just after the first trimester before testing at home with IntelliGender so your hormones can regulate. :)

Disclosure: The product mentioned above was provided to me by IntelliGender for review. This did not influence my opinion of the product in any way. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.