Which hormone is evaluated by the radioimmunoassay pregnancy test?

The radioimmunoassay pregnancy test specifically evaluates human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is a hormone produced by the placenta shortly after the embryo attaches to the uterine lining. This hormone is crucial in maintaining the corpus luteum during the early stages of pregnancy, which in turn supports the secretion of progesterone necessary for sustaining the pregnancy.

When performing a pregnancy test, the detection of hCG in the blood or urine is what confirms whether a woman is pregnant. The levels of hCG increase rapidly during the early weeks of pregnancy, making it an effective marker for early pregnancy detection.

Other hormones, such as prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone, do not serve as indicators of pregnancy in this context and are not the targets of the radioimmunoassay pregnancy test. Thus, the focus on hCG in pregnancy tests is what sets it apart, underscoring its role in the detection of pregnancy.