Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG): How It Is Done

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How It Is Done

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) may be measured in a sample of blood or urine.

Blood sample collection

The health professional will:

• Wrap an elastic band around your upper arm to stop the flow of blood. This makes the veins below the band larger so it is easier to put a needle into the vein.
• Clean the needle site with alcohol.
• Put the needle into the vein. If the needle is not placed correctly or if the vein collapses, more than one needle stick may be needed.
• Attach a tube to the needle to fill it with blood.
• Remove the band from your arm when enough blood is collected.
• Put a gauze pad or cotton ball over the needle site as the needle is removed.
• Put pressure to the site and then a bandage.

Urine collection

If possible, collect a sample from the first urine of the day (this urine generally has the highest level of hCG). A urine sample collected at least four hours after the last urination will also have high amounts of hCG.

• Place the collection container into the stream of urine and collect about of urine.
• Do not touch the rim of the container to your genital area, and do not get toilet paper, pubic hair, stool (feces), blood, or other foreign matter in the urine sample.
• Finish urinating into the toilet or urinal.
• Carefully replace the lid on the container and return it to the lab. If you are collecting the urine at home and cannot get it to the lab in an hour, refrigerate it.

Last updated:	May 14, 2008
Author:	Sandy Jocoy, RN
Reviewed By:	Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine, Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Tracy Landauer