For most people, finding out they're having a baby is one of the most exciting times of their lives. Emotions range from joy to anxiety and everything in between. But this big moment should never be accompanied with suspicion and distrust. Yet, as reported by multiple news outlets including CNN, ABC News and UK's The Guardian, individuals are selling positive pregnancy tests -- in some cases, using the stature of the e.p.t brand as a selling point -- with "no questions asked" as to how the positive tests might be used.
This disturbing new trend is not only outrageous and crude; it's an abuse of one of the most poignant moments in a woman's life. It is an insult to all those women who so dearly want to become pregnant. And it's an injustice to those who would be presented these false positive tests.
As OB/GYNs, we hear from patients every day about their struggles to become pregnant. In fact, one of us -- Dr. Bohn -- has experienced this struggle firsthand. And the thought of people making a mockery of a life-changing event that so many women desperately want for themselves is downright reprehensible.
The people who are selling these pregnancy tests take their own fertility for granted. While it may seem harmless to pee on a few more sticks for quick and easy cash, they have to understand the damage they're causing not only to those who are being lied to and trapped in relationships, but also the implications it has for the trying to conceive community.
This "joke" is not funny at all and we hope it disappears even more quickly than it became popular.
Dr. Bohn, Dr. Hill and Dr. Park are chief medical consultants for Insight Pharmaceuticals, parent company of e.p.t. The advice and opinions expressed in this article are their own.