Which test detects the pregnancy hormone produced by the placenta in blood or urine?

• A. Fecal occult blood test
• B. Glucose tolerance test
• C. Laparoscopy
• D. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

Answer: (D)

Detecting pregnancy relies on measuring a hormone produced after implantation by the placenta. Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is that pregnancy-specific hormone. It appears in blood and urine early in pregnancy, so tests can confirm pregnancy by detecting its presence. Urine tests typically give a yes/no result, while blood tests can quantify how much hCG is present. The other options are unrelated to pregnancy detection: one screens for hidden blood in stool, another tests how the body handles glucose, and the last is a surgical procedure to view abdominal organs. So the test that detects the pregnancy hormone produced by the placenta is hCG.