Georgette’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Certification LMR Practice Exam

The key idea is that pregnancy is confirmed by a hormone produced after implantation. The lab value that confirms pregnancy is hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin. Once the embryo implants, placental tissue starts producing hCG, which appears in blood and urine and serves to maintain the early pregnancy by supporting progesterone production. This is why a positive hCG test is the standard way to confirm pregnancy, whether using a qualitative yes/no test or a quantitative beta-hCG test to monitor progression. The other hormones have different roles and are not used to confirm pregnancy: TSH relates to thyroid function, and LH and FSH regulate ovulation and the menstrual cycle rather than confirming pregnancy.