The pregnancy hormone, used to confirm and monitor early pregnancy.
Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is a hormone made by the placenta in pregnancy. The blood test measures the total amount of this hormone.
It is best known as the pregnancy hormone. Outside pregnancy, only a very small amount is normally present.
hCG is used mainly to detect and follow pregnancy, where it rises quickly in the early weeks. It also helps assess problems such as ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage, and is used to monitor certain tumors that produce hCG.
Outside pregnancy, a raised level is uncommon and needs a doctor to interpret, considering causes such as recent pregnancy, menopause, or rarely a hCG-producing tumor.
Aniva reads your result against research-backed ranges, not just the lab's wide normal. The reference shown below is specific to this biomarker.
Ranges are guidance only and depend heavily on pregnancy status and stage.
| Group | Common guide (SI) |
|---|---|
| Non-pregnant adults | up to about 5 IU/L |
| Pregnancy | Rises rapidly in early weeks; interpreted against gestational age |
Levels rise modestly after menopause. Aligned to German laboratory practice (DGKL).
Pregnancy stage drives the result, so timing matters. Recent pregnancy or miscarriage leaves residual hCG. Levels rise after menopause. Rarely, interfering antibodies cause a falsely positive result. Different assays are not interchangeable.
In pregnancy, read against gestational age and sometimes ultrasound. As a tumor marker, read alongside AFP and clinical history.
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