hCG Test Urine

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced by cells that are surrounding a growing embryo (syncitiotrophoblast initially), which eventually forms the placenta after implantation.The presence of hCG is detected in some pregnancy tests (HCG pregnancy strip tests). Some cancerous tumors produce this hormone; therefore, elevated levels measured when the patient is not pregnant may lead to a cancer diagnosis and, if high enough, paraneoplastic syndromes, however, it is not known whether this production is a contributing cause, or an effect of carcinogenesis. The pituitary analog of hCG, known as luteinizing hormone (LH), is produced in the pituitary gland of males and females of all ages.

As pregnancy tests, quantitative blood tests and the most sensitive urine tests usually detect hCG between 6 and 12 days after ovulation.It must be taken into account, however, that total hCG levels may vary in a very wide range within the first 4 weeks of gestation, leading to false results during this period. A rise of 35% over 48 hours is proposed as the minimal rise consistent with a viable intrauterine pregnancy.The hCG Pregnancy Test Strip is a rapid one step assay designed for qualitative detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine for early detection of pregnancy.