SERUM PROGESTERONE:HORMONAL ASSAY FOR PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS

Good morning friends.Today I'll post a brief review on the 2nd hormonal assay for pregnancy diagnosis: SERUM PROGESTERONE.Progesterone is a steroid hormone that is produced by the corpus luteum,which prepares the uterus for pregnancy.
Detecting the blood levels of serum progesterone,after serum HCG has become already positive,is usually done in cases where there is a suspicion of abnormal pregnancy[ectopic pregnancy,abortion etc]

METHODS OF DETECTION:1.fluoroimmunoassay 2.radio-immunoassay 3. an ELISA kit is also available.which detects serum progesterone level greater than 15ng/ml.
IMPLICATIONS OF TEST RESULT:A value more than 25ng/ml usually indicates a viable pregnancy. A value less than 5ng/ml may indicate a non-viable pregnancy,and further investigations are required. A value greater than 15ng/ml usually excludes ectopic pregnancy. A value between 5-25 ng/ml usually requires further ancillary investigations like ultrasound,serial testing etc. to exclude the risk of abnormal pregnancy.

This test has other uses too:in the evaluation of congenital adrenal hyperplasia,ovarian cancer,adrenal cancer etc.

For further information on this,please discuss this issue with your doctor or may visit the oxford journal sitehere

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HORMONAL ASSAYS FOR PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS:HCG

Hi friends, today I'll post a brief review on the hormonal assays used for the diagnosis of pregnancy.The hormonal assays that can be used for pregnancy diagnosis are HCG[human chorionic gonadotrophin],progesterone & early pregnancy factor[EPF].
The most commonly used test is HCG.

HCG has two sub-units:alpha & beta subunit.The alpha-subunit is similar to other hormones like LH[luteinising hormone],FSH[follicle stimulating hormone],THYROTROPIN.But the beta-subunit is distinct ftom other hormones. The chemical structure is different.

The beta subunit has two forms : free beta HCG & core beta HCG. The core beta HCG is usually measured in the urine test test for HCG.This kit is easily available over the counter,for self testing.HYPERGLYYCOSYLATED HCG is a special form of HCG that is produced during the implantation of the embryo in the endometrial lining of the uterus[more specifically, it is released when trophoblastic invasion takes place].The urine tests should ideally be able to detect hyperglycosylated HCG,as it is the principle HCG secreted in early pregnancy.

The HCG is usually detetable in serum 8-11 days from the date of conception.The level of HCG peaks in 10-12 weeks of gestation & then falls rapidly,for a second slow rise at 22 weeks of gestation ,which continues upto term.

There are four main types of HCG assays : RADIOIMMUNOASSAY IMMUNORADIOMETRIC ASSAY FLUOROIMMUNOASSAY ELISA Of these fluoroimmunoassay & radioimmunoassay are perhaps the most sensitive.

Sometimes false-positive results may occur in the prescence of rheumatoid factor,heterophile antibodies etc.

The picture has been taken from wikimedia commons.

For more information on this,please consult with your doctor or you may visit the WIKIPEDIA Subscribe in a reader

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