Book contents
- Hormones and Pregnancy
- Hormones and Pregnancy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Section I Hormones in the Physiology and Pharmacology of Pregnancy
- Chapter 1 The Neuroendocrinology of Pregnancy
- Chapter 2 The Placenta as an Endocrine Organ/Placental Endocrinology
- Chapter 3 The Role of Oxytocin in Pregnancy
- Chapter 4 The Role of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Pregnancy
- Chapter 5 The Role of Estrogens in Pregnancy
- Chapter 6 The Role of Progesterone in Pregnancy
- Chapter 7 Hormones and Cardiovascular Systems in Pregnancy
- Section II Hormones and Gestational Disorders
- Index
- References
Chapter 4 - The Role of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Pregnancy
from Section I - Hormones in the Physiology and Pharmacology of Pregnancy
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 November 2022
Book contents
- Hormones and Pregnancy
- Hormones and Pregnancy
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Section I Hormones in the Physiology and Pharmacology of Pregnancy
- Chapter 1 The Neuroendocrinology of Pregnancy
- Chapter 2 The Placenta as an Endocrine Organ/Placental Endocrinology
- Chapter 3 The Role of Oxytocin in Pregnancy
- Chapter 4 The Role of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Pregnancy
- Chapter 5 The Role of Estrogens in Pregnancy
- Chapter 6 The Role of Progesterone in Pregnancy
- Chapter 7 Hormones and Cardiovascular Systems in Pregnancy
- Section II Hormones and Gestational Disorders
- Index
- References
Summary
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is primarily produced in human trophoblasts and placentas. It comprises α- and β-subunits, the former of which is a common form of gonadotropins, and the latter is typical of hCG. hCG has three main functions: corpus luteum maintenance, testicular stimulation, and maternal thyroid stimulation. hCG is used to determine pregnancy, with commercial urine hCG pregnancy kits widely used. In addition, hCG is used to judge normal pregnancy. One typical case of abnormal pregnancy is ectopic pregnancy, and the other is gestational trophoblastic disease. The β-subunit is useful for determining both normal pregnancy and gestational trophoblastic disease.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Hormones and PregnancyBasic Science and Clinical Implications, pp. 33 - 41Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022
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