Evaluation of a new pregnancy test claiming beta-subunit specificity

A new hemagglutination-inhibition tube test for human chorionic gonadotropin said to be beta-subunit specific was compared with a widely used similar test that is not beta-specific. Also compared were the latex agglutination-inhibition slide test from the same manufacturer, along with a similar non-beta-subunit specific slide test. Although the new tube test showed good sensitivity, false-positives still occurred in the perimenopausal age group.