In pregnancy, which analyte is increased and used as a pregnancy marker?

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Multiple Choice

In pregnancy, which analyte is increased and used as a pregnancy marker?

During pregnancy, the placenta secretes the hormone hCG after implantation, and its levels rise rapidly in the early weeks. This makes hCG detectable in blood and urine and it’s used clinically to confirm pregnancy and monitor its progression. Because its elevation is early, specific, and tied to placental function, hCG serves as a reliable pregnancy marker. Albumin tends to decrease in pregnancy due to increased plasma volume (hemodilution), and magnesium and total protein are not used as markers of pregnancy because their levels do not uniquely indicate pregnancy and aren’t reliable indicators of gestational status.

During pregnancy, the placenta secretes the hormone hCG after implantation, and its levels rise rapidly in the early weeks. This makes hCG detectable in blood and urine and it’s used clinically to confirm pregnancy and monitor its progression. Because its elevation is early, specific, and tied to placental function, hCG serves as a reliable pregnancy marker.

Albumin tends to decrease in pregnancy due to increased plasma volume (hemodilution), and magnesium and total protein are not used as markers of pregnancy because their levels do not uniquely indicate pregnancy and aren’t reliable indicators of gestational status.

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