When a woman gets pregnant, her body produces a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) hormone. This hormone can be detected in the urine and blood of a pregnant woman. hCG is produced by the embryo when it get implanted on the uterus wall. Implantation usually occurs 6 to 10 days after conception. As the embryo grows, the amount of hCG increases and it doubles every 2 to 3 days. This hormone keeps the estrogen and progesterone in proper balance until the placenta develops adequately. The level of hCG peaks at 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy and then it starts to decrease.

Read more