Specimen Information

Type

Gold, SST

Volume

1.0 ml

Transport Info

Refrigerated
48 hour stability

Fasting Required?

False

Clinical Significance

Quantitative detection of human choionic gonadotropin (hCG) provides the most sensitive and specific test for the detection of early pregnancy, diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy or threatened abortion.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein produced by the placenta shortly after implantation of the fertilized ovum into the uterine wall. During normal pregnancy, values above the non-pregnant baseline occur within six days, rising to a peak at 6-8 weeks after conception and then falling to a plateau at the end of the second trimester. After delivery, the serum value falls to baseline within 11 to 16 days. Aberrant, aborted and ectopic pregnancies are associated with a lack of the normal rise in values or a precipitous drop. In addition, elevated levels of hCG may be found in gestational trophoblastic disease, such as choriocarcinoma and hydatidiform mole, and both benign and malignant non-trophoblastic tumors of testicular and gastro-intestinal tissue (especially stomach, liver and pancreas).