Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) Practice Exam

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Which substance is detected by a pregnancy test?

Prolactin
FSH
Oxytocin
HCG

The correct answer is: HCG

A pregnancy test is designed to detect human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone produced during pregnancy. HCG is synthesized by the placenta shortly after a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining and its levels can be detected in a woman's urine or blood, often as early as a few days after implantation. This hormone serves as a crucial marker for confirming pregnancy, as its presence indicates that the body has initiated the processes necessary for maintaining a pregnancy. The other options, such as prolactin, FSH, and oxytocin, are hormones that play important roles in various bodily functions, including lactation and reproductive processes, but they are not indicators of pregnancy. Prolactin is mainly involved in milk production, FSH is crucial for follicle maturation and ovulation, and oxytocin is associated with childbirth and lactation. However, these hormones do not signal that a woman is pregnant, making them unsuitable for use in pregnancy tests.