Abstract
Pregnant women undergo major hormonal changes during the course of pregnancy. The placenta secretes glycoprotein hormone, known as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) shortly post-fertilization. hCG is mainly produced in a detectable amount in both urine and serum samples within 7–10 days following conception. Therefore, owing to its early release, hCG has been used as a biomarker for pregnancy. This chapter explains the principle, reagents, steps, and results interpretation of the most commonly used test for detecting pregnancy.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ezcurra D, Humaidan P. A review of luteinising hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin when used in assisted reproductive technology. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2014;12:95.
Berndt S, Blacher S, Perrier d'Hauterive S, Thiry M, Tsampalas M, Cruz A, et al. Chorionic gonadotropin stimulation of angiogenesis and pericyte recruitment. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;94(11):4567–74.
Toth P, Li X, Rao CV, Lincoln SR, Sanfilippo JS, Spinnato JA 2nd, et al. Expression of functional human chorionic gonadotropin/human luteinizing hormone receptor gene in human uterine arteries. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1994;79(1):307–15.
Lei ZM, Reshef E, Rao V. The expression of human chorionic gonadotropin/luteinizing hormone receptors in human endometrial and myometrial blood vessels. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992;75(2):651–9.
Zygmunt M, Herr F, Keller-Schoenwetter S, Kunzi-Rapp K, Munstedt K, Rao CV, et al. Characterization of human chorionic gonadotropin as a novel angiogenic factor. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002;87(11):5290–6.
Herr F, Baal N, Reisinger K, Lorenz A, McKinnon T, Preissner KT, et al. HCG in the regulation of placental angiogenesis. Results of an in vitro study. Placenta. 2007;28(Suppl A):S85–93.
Zygmunt M, Herr F, Munstedt K, Lang U, Liang OD. Angiogenesis and vasculogenesis in pregnancy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2003;110(Suppl 1):S10–8.
Toth P, Lukacs H, Gimes G, Sebestyen A, Pasztor N, Paulin F, et al. Clinical importance of vascular LH/hCG receptors—a review. Reprod Biol. 2001;1(2):5–11.
Akoum A, Metz CN, Morin M. Marked increase in macrophage migration inhibitory factor synthesis and secretion in human endometrial cells in response to human chorionic gonadotropin hormone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005;90(5):2904–10.
Kobayashi S, Nishihira J, Watanabe S, Todo S. Prevention of lethal acute hepatic failure by antimacrophage migration inhibitory factor antibody in mice treated with bacille Calmette-Guerin and lipopolysaccharide. Hepatology. 1999;29(6):1752–9.
Wan H, Versnel MA, Cheung WY, Leenen PJ, Khan NA, Benner R, et al. Chorionic gonadotropin can enhance innate immunity by stimulating macrophage function. J Leukoc Biol. 2007;82(4):926–33.
Reshef E, Lei ZM, Rao CV, Pridham DD, Chegini N, Luborsky JL. The presence of gonadotropin receptors in nonpregnant human uterus, human placenta, fetal membranes, and decidua. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990;70(2):421–30.
Zuo J, Lei ZM, Rao CV. Human myometrial chorionic gonadotropin/luteinizing hormone receptors in preterm and term deliveries. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1994;79(3):907–11.
Batzer FR. Hormonal evaluation of early pregnancy. Fertil Steril. 1980;34(1):1–13.
Catt KJ, Dufau ML, Vaitukaitis JL. Appearance of hCG in pregnancy plasma following the initiation of implantation of the blastocyst. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1975;40(3):537–40.
Braunstein GD, Rasor J, Danzer H, Adler D, Wade ME. Serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels throughout normal pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1976;126(6):678–81.
Lenton EA, Neal LM, Sulaiman R. Plasma concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin from the time of implantation until the second week of pregnancy. Fertil Steril. 1982;37(6):773–8.
BioVision Inc. Chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (human) ELISA kit. Biovision. Available from: http://www.biovision.com/documentation/datasheets/K7424.pdf. Accessed 20 September 2017.
Innovacon. One Step Pregnancy Test Device (Urine). CLIA-waived. Available from: https://www.cliawaived.com/web/items/pdf/FHC102_Innovacon_hcG_Pregnancy_Device~1671file1.pdf. Accessed 20 September 2017.
CLIAwaived Inc. Pregnancy Urine Test (Cassette). CLIA-waived. Available from: https://www.cliawaived.com/web/items/pdf/CLIA_02_2478_25_hCG_Pregnancy_Cassette~2242file2.pdf. Accessed 20 September 2017.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Alhabbab, R.Y. (2018). Pregnancy Test. In: Basic Serological Testing. Techniques in Life Science and Biomedicine for the Non-Expert. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77694-1_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77694-1_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-77693-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-77694-1
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)