Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced by the placenta after implantation.
The presence of hCG is detected in some pregnancy tests (HCG pregnancy strip tests).
Some cancerous tumors produce this hormone; therefore, elevated levels measured when the
patient is not pregnant may lead to a cancer diagnosis and, if high enough, paraneoplastic syndromes,
however, it is not known whether this production is a contributing cause, or an effect of carcinogenesis.
The pituitary analog of hCG, known as luteinizing hormone (LH), is produced in the pituitary gland of
males and females of all ages.