Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG), Total details

This test measures total human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the hormone produced by the developing placenta, in your blood — used most commonly to confirm and monitor early pregnancy, since hCG rises predictably in the first weeks. Outside of pregnancy, elevated hCG can be a marker for certain rare tumors, including germ cell tumors of the ovaries or testes and gestational trophoblastic disease (an abnormal growth arising from placental tissue), so this test also has a role in diagnosing and monitoring treatment for these specific conditions.