Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG): What To Think About

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What To Think About

• Home pregnancy tests that find hCG in urine are widely available. For more information, see the medical test Home Pregnancy Tests.
• A blood test for hCG is generally more accurate than a urine test. If pregnancy is suspected even after urine test results do not show a pregnancy (negative results), a blood test can be done, or another urine test should be repeated in a week.
• HCG results may remain high (positive) for up to four weeks after a miscarriage (spontaneous abortion) or therapeutic abortion.
• The level of hCG in the blood is often used in a maternal serum triple or quadruple screening test. Generally done between 15 and 20 weeks, these tests check the levels of three or four substances in a pregnant woman's blood. The triple screen checks alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and a type of estrogen (unconjugated estriol, or uE3). The quad screen checks these substances and the level of the hormone inhibin A. The levels of these substances—along with a woman's age and other factors—help the doctor estimate the chance that the baby may have certain problems or birth defects. For more information about estriol and hCG, see the medical tests Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) in Blood, Estrogens, and Hormone Inhibin A.
• A normal hCG value does not rule out the possibility of a tumor in the uterus, ovaries, or testicles. HCG is only one part of an overall evaluation when a tumor is suspected.

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