First Response™ Unveils First Ever Bluetooth® Smart-Enabled Pregnancy Test at CES
Groundbreaking New Pregnancy Test and App Introduced at the 2016 CES BabyTech Showcase
PR Newswire, Ewing, NJ – January 6, 2016
Today, Church & Dwight, Co., Inc., the makers of First Response™ pregnancy and ovulation tests, announced the launch of First Response™ Pregnancy PRO Digital Pregnancy Test & App Access – their latest innovation and the first and only Bluetooth Smart-enabled pregnancy test on the market. First Response™ Pregnancy PRO connects to a woman’s smart device through a mobile application. Once synced, the app provides her with pregnancy-related content only available with Pregnancy PRO, and delivers a personalized user experience throughout her entire pregnancy journey.
“We are thrilled to be unveiling the next generation of in-home pregnancy testing on a stage like CES, where so many technological advancements have made their debut,” said Stacey Feldman, Vice President of Marketing, Church & Dwight. “With Pregnancy PRO, we’ve leveraged unique consumer insights to develop a product that not only revolutionizes the pregnancy test category, but more importantly, provides women with the information they need during their journey.”
The new Pregnancy PRO Digital Pregnancy Test & App Access is designed with technology developed by Church & Dwight and connectivity powered by Qualcomm Life, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. The product provides a unique, digital testing experience for women, aimed at helping to reduce stress throughout the testing process and the app offers an action plan based on the user’s test result. With half (50%)1 of all smart phone users predicted to download mobile health apps by 2017, and two-thirds (64%)2 of pregnant women using their smart phones to access health information, the makers of First Response™ seek to meet this growing need with the innovative technology that Pregnancy PRO provides.
ABOUT FIRST RESPONSE™ PREGNANCY PRO DIGITAL PREGNANCY TEST & APP ACCESS
The Pregnancy PRO stick syncs securely to the First Response™ app on the users’ mobile device via a small, low-power and disposable Bluetooth Smart module developed by Qualcomm Life. The user enters profile information which allows the app to customize content for the Pregnancy PRO experience. The app offers step-by-step assurance through the testing process, as well as a three-minute countdown to the result. During this three-minute wait, the user is offered a variety of options to help ease anxiety, including:
- Calm Me: Relaxing visual content to ease her nerves and/or anxiety
- Educate Me: Content that informs her on fertility and pregnancy
- Entertain Me: Videos and content to help distract and entertain her
After three minutes, the test result will appear on the test stick, and can be displayed on the mobile device after a secure code is entered. And like other First Response™ pregnancy tests, Pregnancy PRO Digital Pregnancy Test & App Access will be able to detect pregnancy as early as six (6) days before the day of the missed period3 and with over 99% accuracy from the day of the expected period.4
- If the test result is negative, the Pregnancy PRO app will offer suggested next steps and informative resources, including cycle tracking and many helpful tips.
- If the test result is positive, the Pregnancy PRO app can provide an estimate of her due date (based on data input by the user), track pregnancy milestones, suggest questions to ask her doctor, send reminders for her prenatal appointments, and provide timely updates about the baby’s growth (based on normal gestational development). As with any positive pregnancy test, women should see their healthcare professional to confirm their result.
“Consumers today, more than ever, are living a truly connected life. Whether they are tracking personal health information with wearables or apps, managing their chronic disease with connected medical devices, or conducting DIY diagnostics in their home, consumers are beginning to demand digital tools and frictionless experiences when it comes to health care,” said Rick Valencia, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Qualcomm Life. “We’re proud to work with Church & Dwight Co. Inc. to deliver this new evolution of connected pregnancy testing, and to continue the leadership First Response™ has already demonstrated in the pregnancy test category.”
“The new First Response™ Pregnancy PRO Digital Pregnancy Test & App Access marks an impressive step forward in how technology can address women’s needs throughout their pregnancies,” said Dr. Lauren Streicher, practicing ObGyn and Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “By offering her an all-in-one experience through the testing process and throughout her journey, women can feel that they have another trusted resource along the way, which can lead to more informed pregnancies.”
First Response™ is the leading pregnancy test brand on the market5 and offers a portfolio of products for every step of the pregnancy journey, including ovulation tests, supplements and Pre-Seed fertility friendly lubricant and consistently incorporates the latest technology to offer women the highest quality options during these crucial, anxiety-filled moments in their reproductive health journey.
First Response™ Pregnancy PRO Digital Pregnancy Test & App Access will be available at major retailers in 2016 at a suggested retail price of $14.99 - $21.99. The First Response™ app is available for download on Android and iPhone devices and in the Amazon appstore. For more information about First Response™ Pregnancy PRO, please visit www.PregnancyPRO.com.
1 Gartner.com, Gartner Says by 2017, Mobile Users Will Provide Personalized Data Streams to More Than 100 Apps and Services Every Day, January 2014.
2 Declercq ER, Sakala C, Corry MP, Applebaum S, Herrlich A. Listening to Mothers III: Pregnancy and Birth. New York: Childbirth Connection, May 2013.
3 FIRST RESPONSE™ detects the pregnancy hormone 6 days sooner than the day of your missed period (5 days before the day of expected period).
4 >99% accurate at detecting typical pregnancy hormone levels. Note that hormone levels vary.
5 Nielsen AOC 52 weeks ending 11.14.15.
About First Response™ Products
For nearly 30 years, the makers of First Response™ have been a pioneer in women’s health with a portfolio of innovative pregnancy and ovulation at-home test kits. Highlights of the portfolio include: First Response™ Early Result Pregnancy Test and First Response™ Gold™ Digital Pregnancy Test, which can be used earlier than any other brand on the market to detect the pregnancy hormone hCG; First Response™ Women’s Health Multivitamin Gummies; and Pre-Seed™, the #1 fertility friendly personal lubricant. To help women get pregnant sooner*, there are also the First Response™ Ovulation Tests, which help to determine a woman’s most important fertile days by detecting their LH surge. For more information, visit www.firstresponse.com.
*Based on directions for use
About Church & Dwight, Co., Inc.
Church & Dwight, Co., Inc., headquartered in Ewing, NJ, manufactures and markets a wide range of personal care, household and specialty products under the ARM & HAMMER brand name and other well-known trademarks.
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Contact:
Beth Conner, [email protected]
Nick Sampogna, [email protected]