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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

By
Keiichi Kumasawa  and
Yutaka Osuga
Edited by
Felice Petraglia ,
Mariarosaria Di Tommaso  and
Federico Mecacci
Felice Petraglia
Affiliation:
Università degli Studi, Florence
Mariarosaria Di Tommaso
Affiliation:
Università degli Studi, Florence
Federico Mecacci
Affiliation:
Università degli Studi, Florence
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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 Pregnancy
Basic Science and Clinical Implications
 , pp. 33 - 41
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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