Pregnancy Testing

Choose from multiple types of manual, automated, or semi-automated pregnancy testing kits and related pregnancy testing products to help provide patients and physicians with timely diagnostic results.

Modern pregnancy tests and pregnancy testing kits detect the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine or blood samples. The majority of pregnancy testing products meet CLIA-waived or CLIA-moderate requirements, detect hCG levels as low as 10 mIU/mL (serum) or 20 mIU/mL (urine), and can be read visually.

hCG is produced in the body by trophoblast cells that surround an embryo; the trophoblasts later form the placenta. Although the β-subunit is typically used for pregnancy detection, hCG in other endogenous forms may be produced by some cancerous tumors.

Immunoassays for measuring hCG include a monoclonal antibody specific to the β-subunit of hCG (β-hCG). Some label the antibodies with a conventional or luminescent dye or an enzyme for easier detection. Serum tests, which are the most sensitive, are typically chemiluminescent or fluorometric immunoassays that can measure very low hCG levels and may allow quantification.

Urine dipstick pregnancy tests are based on the lateral flow technique. In early pregnancy, use the more-concentrated first morning urine for testing. Too-dilute urine samples may produce falsely negative results.