Beta-hCG

Beta-hCG, or beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone produced primarily during pregnancy by developing cells of the placenta. It helps support the early stages of pregnancy by maintaining the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone to sustain the uterine lining. The presence of beta-hCG in blood or urine is commonly used in pregnancy tests to confirm pregnancy. Levels of this hormone can also provide information about the health and development of the pregnancy, and are sometimes used to monitor for certain medical conditions, such as ectopic pregnancies or some types of tumors.