Over 6,000 visits a month
Over 2,500 doctors
Over 800 blood tests and services
Unique offers at MediClub
HCG test
The acronym hCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin. It is a hormone produced during pregnancy by the placenta. In non-pregnant individuals, elevated hCG concentrations may indicate serious diseases.
+ Material fee
Lowest price from 30 days before discounting PLN 61.75What is HCG?
hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone produced by the developing embryo, after a fertilised egg is implanted in the uterine wall, and then by the placenta. It stimulates the production of the sex hormone – progesterone.
The level of hCG increases during pregnancy, and its excessive or insufficient concentration may indicate bigeminal (twin) pregnancy or certain abnormalities, such as extrauterine (ectopic) pregnancy, miscarriage or placental insufficiency.
In non-pregnant women and in men, the hCG test is performed in the diagnosis of cancer lesions.
When is the hCG test done?
- To check the potential pregnancy and its age.
- In the management and monitoring of pregnancy.
- In the diagnostics of ectopic (extrauterine) pregnancy.
- When an hCG-producing cancer is suspected (ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, vesicular mole, chorionic epithelioma or others).
HCG test – a neoplastic (cancer) marker
The hCG test may be part of cancer diagnostics. Since the chorionic gonadotropin under normal conditions occurs only in pregnant women, it is used as a cancer marker – a substance detected in the blood of individuals suffering from cancer (gonadotropin may be secreted by cancer cells).
Cancer markers are usually determined in blood serum or in the saliva. They may also be determined from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or from pulmonary and peritoneal exudates.
HCG test during pregnancy
HCG is a hormone responsible for the production of progesterone which is necessary for the support of pregnancy. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in male foetuses stimulates testicular cells to produce testosterone and, in both sexes, regulates the level of thyroid hormones, thereby supporting the developing pituitary gland. hCG is also responsible for the absorption of greater amounts of nutrients by the foetus.
Beta hCG – norms
The test also makes it possible to determine the gestational age. In a woman after egg implantation, the level of hCG will increase with each week of the pregnancy, until approximately the 12th week, when it will begin to decrease.
The hCG concentration levels change along with the foetal growth. However, its values should be treated as indicative only, because they often differ across pregnant women in the same period of pregnancy.
The blood concentration level of the hormone in non-pregnant women is
However, the beta-hCG norms may differ depending on the laboratory where the test is performed.
In the first trimester of pregnancy, the plasma concentration of the hormone is doubled every 48-72 hours on average. The highest level can be observed around the 11th – 13th week of pregnancy. In the subsequent weeks, its production is decreased, but its relatively high level persists until the end of pregnancy.
The results should always be interpreted during consultation with a gynaecologist.
Course of the HCG test
The test involves taking a blood sample from the ulnar (elbow) vein into a test tube. The blood taking procedure consists of the following steps:
- Skin disinfection.
- Fitting a tourniquet.
- Repetitive clenching of the fingers to expose the vein.
The collection takes a few dozen seconds and, when it is over, the injection site should be compressed firmly, with the elbow in a straight position. The entire test lasts no more than a few minutes.
Beta HCG results
- Test results are available within 3 working days.
- It is possible to collect them at the reception desk of any Medicover Centre.
- The results can be accessed online. To do this, you have to visit the reception desk to generate a password in the Centre of your choice.
HCG – preparation for the test
- No special preparation is required for the test. Patients do not have to be on an empty stomach.
- Blood should be collected in the morning.
- If possible, the test should be performed before patients take their morning dose of medicines. However, such a decision must always be consulted with their physician..
- Patients should always inform the blood-taking personnel about the medications, supplements and herbal preparations they use.
Others also bought
Scope of the test: trisomies (13, 18, 21), X and Y chromosome aneuploidies (singleton pregnancy), microdeletions, Y chromosome (sex identification).