Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Beta-hCG is a shorthand term for a blood test used to measure hCG levels in early pregnancy. Find out what these levels mean. Many ...

During pregnancy, hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is released from cells in the placenta. The hormone circulates through the body, and it can be detected in blood and urine, says Maureen Baldwin, M ...