If you?ve done a bit of reading?even just the back of the pregnancy test that you picked up at the drugstore?you have probably heard of hCG and might be wondering what it means for you. This primer has all the details, from what it is to how often it?s measured, along with everything you need to know about hCG levels that are too low, too high or just right.
What is hCG"
Short for human chorionic gonadotropin, hCG (also known as beta hCG) is a hormone produced by the outer layer of an early-pregnancy and pre-embryo structure called the blastocyst. This outer layer (named the trophoblast) provides the embryo with nutrients and later forms part of the placenta and fetal membranes, says Julia Kfouri, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital and an assistant professor in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Toronto. The hCG hormone is usually a sign of pregnancy, but it can also indicate an ectopic pregnancy, where a fertilized egg implants itself somewhere other than the uterus. How is hCG measured"
Home pregnancy tests can detect hCG in urine, usually once it reaches 25 mIU/mL or higher, though ?early detection? tests can detect the hormone in 10 mIU/mL. These tests don?t provide an exact reading of hCG levels; they simply confirm if your hCG levels are high enough to indicate pregnancy.
Blood tests are more sensitive, which means that they can detect pregnancy earlier than urine tests but by no more than a few days. ...