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HelpTest Code HCGQNT HCG, Quantitative, Pregnancy, LAB143
Performing Laboratory
St. Luke's Hospital Cedar Rapids
Specimen Requirements
Container/Tube:
Preferred: Green-top (lithium heparin) tube
Acceptable: Gold-top serum gel tube, plain red-top tube, EDTA plasma
Minimum Specimen Volume: 6 µL plus a dead volume
Stability: Sample should be kept at 2 – 8 °C and analyzed within 14 days. Sample is stable for 5 days at 20‑25 °C. For longer storage, samples may be frozen at -20 °C for 12 months. Freeze only once.
Collection Instructions:
Note: 1. biotin effects this assay
2. Even though this test is sometimes used to follow the course of therapy for tumors, no β- HCG method has been approved by the FDA for use as a tumor marker.
Reference Values
|
Non–pregnant, premenopausal women |
<5mIU/mL |
|
Females, >62 years (Post-menopausal) |
≤7 mIU/mL |
|
Adult males |
<2 mIU/mL |
|
Approximate Gestational Age (weeks) |
Approximate hCG Range (mIU/mL) |
|
2 – 4 |
39 – 8388 |
|
5 – 6 |
861 – 88,769 |
|
6 – 8 |
8636 – 218,085 |
|
8 – 10 |
18,700 – 244,467 |
|
10 – 12 |
23,143 – 181,899 |
|
13 – 27 |
6303 – 97,171 |
|
28 – 49 |
4360 – 74,883 |
Day(s) Test Set Up
Monday through Sunday
Useful For
The hormone is an excellent marker for pregnancy. Healthy, non-pregnant individuals have low
(<5 mIU/mL) to undetectable hCG in serum. During pregnancy, hCG concentrations increase as noted above and then show a gradual decrease after the first trimester. Unusually low or rapidly declining levels may indicate an abnormal condition such as an ectopic pregnancy or impending spontaneous abortion.
Methodology
Chemiluminescence
Test Classification and CPT Coding
84702
Report Available
STAT within 1 hour of receipt. Routine within 2 hours of receipt.