Lima Memorial Health System Logo
Approximate ER WAIT TIME WAIT TIME MACRO

Health Library

HCG in urine
     
Print-Friendly
Bookmarks

HCG in urine

Beta-HCG - urine; Human chorionic gonadotropin - urine; Pregnancy test - hCG in urine

 

This type of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG or hCG) test checks if there is a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine. HCG is a hormone produced in the body during pregnancy.

Other HCG tests include:

  • HCG in blood serum -- qualitative
  • HCG in blood serum -- quantitative
  • Pregnancy test

How the Test is Performed

 

To collect a urine sample, you urinate into a special (sterile) cup. Home pregnancy tests require the test strip to be dipped into the urine sample or passed through the urine stream while urinating. Carefully follow package directions.

In most cases, a urine sample taken the first time you urinate in the morning is best. This is when urine is the most concentrated and has enough HCG to be detected.

 

How to Prepare for the Test

 

No special preparation is needed.

 

How the Test will Feel

 

The test involves urinating into a cup or onto a test strip.

 

Why the Test is Performed

 

Urine HCG tests are a common method of determining if a woman is pregnant. The best time to test for pregnancy at home is after you miss your period.

 

Normal Results

 

The test result will be reported as negative or positive.

  • The test is negative if you are not pregnant.
  • The test is positive if you are pregnant.

A pregnancy test, including a properly performed home pregnancy test, is considered to be very accurate. Positive results are more likely to be accurate than negative results. When the test is negative but pregnancy is still suspected, the test should be repeated in 1 week.

 

Risks

 

There are no risks, except for false positive or false negative results.

 

 

References

Jeelani R, Bluth MH. Reproductive function and pregnancy. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 26.

Nerenz RD, Braga JA. Pregnancy and its disorders. In: Rifai N, Chiu RWK, Young I, Burnham Carey-Ann D, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 59.

BACK TO TOPText only

  • Female urinary tract

    Female urinary tract

    illustration

Tests for HCG in urine

 
 

Review Date: 11/10/2022

URAC Seal
Health Content Provider
06/01/2025
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complied with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information from 1995 to 2022, after which HON (Health On the Net, a not-for-profit organization that promoted transparent and reliable health information online) was discontinued.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- 2025 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- 2025adam.comAll rights reserved.