Is hcg and beta the same test for pregnancy?

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) are two closely related hormones that are produced during pregnancy. hCG is a glycoprotein hormone that is composed of two subunits, alpha and beta. The beta subunit of hCG is unique to pregnancy and is the basis for most pregnancy tests.

hCG is produced by the developing embryo and is detectable in the urine and blood as early as 6-10 days after conception. The levels of hCG rise rapidly during early pregnancy and peak around 10-12 weeks. After this time, the levels of hCG decline slightly but remain elevated throughout pregnancy.

Beta-hCG is a specific form of hCG that is produced by the trophoblast cells of the developing placenta. Beta-hCG is also detectable in the urine and blood, and its levels rise and fall in the same way as hCG. However, beta-hCG is more specific for pregnancy than hCG, and it is the preferred marker for pregnancy testing.

Pregnancy tests work by detecting the presence of beta-hCG in the urine or blood. If beta-hCG is present, the test will indicate that the woman is pregnant. Pregnancy tests can be purchased over the counter and are easy to use. They can provide a reliable result as early as 10 days after conception.

In addition to pregnancy tests, beta-hCG levels are also used to monitor the health of the pregnancy and to diagnose certain pregnancy-related conditions, such as ectopic pregnancy and gestational trophoblastic disease.