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Pregnancy tests: evaluation of current status.
Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences
|January 1, 1984
Summary
Pregnancy tests have evolved from animal assays to advanced immunologic and radioreceptor methods for detecting human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This review compares these diagnostic procedures for effectiveness, sensitivity, specificity, cost, and technical needs.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Immunodiagnostics
- Reproductive Endocrinology
Background:
- Pregnancy testing has undergone significant evolution over the last two decades.
- Tests are designed to detect elevated levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in biological samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and compare various pregnancy testing methodologies.
- To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different hCG detection procedures.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of historical animal assays with current immunologic slide and tube tests.
- Evaluation of radioreceptor assays and qualitative radioimmunoassays.
- Assessment based on diagnostic effectiveness, sensitivity, specificity, cost, and technical requirements.
Main Results:
- Immunologic tests offer improved specificity, including beta-subunit specific assays.
- Radioreceptor assays utilize hormone-receptor binding principles.
- Radioimmunoassays employ competitive binding techniques.
Conclusions:
- The choice of pregnancy test depends on a balance of diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, cost-effectiveness, and laboratory capabilities.
- Continued advancements in hCG detection methods offer improved clinical utility.