<P> It is a common misconception that the injected rabbit would die only if the woman was pregnant . This led to the phrase "the rabbit died" being used as a euphemism for a positive pregnancy test . In fact, all rabbits used for the test died, because they had to be surgically opened in order to examine the ovaries . While it was possible to do this without killing the rabbit, it was generally deemed not worth the trouble and expense . </P> <P> A replacement for the rabbit test involved using frogs, specifically the African clawed frog, which, like all frogs, lays eggs instead of getting pregnant, and therefore can yield results without the need to cut the animal open . </P>

When did the rabbit test stop being used