How is HCG used to determine pregnancy?

Answer 1

Hi Raven,

Clinical diagnostic tests are used to detect the levels of HCG to determine pregnancy. After conception and once the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus, HCG hormone will be produced by the placenta. HCG is only produced when pregnant and increases rapidly. In order to determine pregnancy, blood and urine samples of women who believe they may be pregnant will be taken to detect the presence and amount of HCG hormone. HCG can be detected 12-15 days after ovulation based on a 28-day cycle; with 10 days being the earliest.

For additional context, quantitative HCG measurements determine the exact age of a fetus and can also be used to diagnose abnormal pregnancies. Examples of abnormal pregnancies include ectopic and molar.

Hope this helps!

-Danielle

Answer 2

The amount of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in your body is measured by a pregnancy test. HCG can be found in your blood or urine. The body needs time to build up HCG. During early pregnancy, your body will produce more HCG each day. You will have more and more HCG in your body each week, increasing the likelihood that a pregnancy test will come back positive. This indicates that you will receive a negative result if you take a test too soon.

The way pregnancy tests work is by responding to the amount of HCG in your blood or urine. A piece of reactive paper finds the HCG in a urine test. A plus sign, double vertical lines, or even the word "pregnant" might appear on this test. A positive result will be displayed in distinctive ways by various tests. To learn what a positive result will look like, read the test's instructions. For instance, the control window appears first in the majority of tests. The test is successful if you see a symbol in this window. Keep in mind that the time it takes to display a result will vary depending on the brand of the test.

A blood sample will be taken from you and sent to a laboratory by your provider if you take a blood test. The level of HCG in your blood will be determined by the laboratory. The results will be sent to you by your provider.