Buy a pregnancy blood test: check your blood values

Folate is considered vital for DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation, and proper neural tube development during pregnancy. Low levels may be associated with anaemia, fatigue, and increased cardiovascular risk. Your healthcare provider can advise on appropriate levels.

HbA1c provides a long-term view of blood sugar control, unlike fasting glucose which reflects a single point in time. It is essential for diabetes diagnosis and management. Consult your healthcare provider.

TSH is widely considered the most sensitive initial screening test for thyroid disorders. Even subtle changes in thyroid function may be reflected in TSH levels before other thyroid markers become abnormal. Your healthcare provider may use TSH as a starting point for comprehensive thyroid evaluation.

Iron is vital for producing red blood cells and carrying oxygen. Both low and high levels can affect your health. Serum iron is best interpreted alongside ferritin and TIBC for a complete picture. Consult your healthcare provider.

Free T4 may help your healthcare provider determine whether your thyroid gland is producing adequate hormone levels. Some experts consider it one of the most informative markers for detecting both overactive and underactive thyroid conditions early.

The best-known rule of thumb about hCG is that the value doubles every 48 hours in early pregnancy. That is a simplification. In a normally progressing intrauterine pregnancy below roughly 1,500 U/L, the minimum expected rise over 48 hours is about 50 per cent, and normally progressing pregnancies exist that rise more slowly than the classic doubling. As the value climbs, the rate of rise also slows. Two measurements 48 hours apart, run by the same laboratory, are therefore far more informative than one isolated result. Different laboratories use different assays and calibrations, so two numbers from two laboratories cannot simply be compared. A second limitation matters just as much: hCG cannot tell you where a pregnancy is located. An ectopic pregnancy can produce a rising, a falling or a plateauing hCG. Location is answered by transvaginal ultrasound, not by a number. Above the so-called discriminatory zone, somewhere between roughly 1,500 and 3,500 U/L depending on the centre, a normal intrauterine pregnancy should be visible on ultrasound. Sudden abdominal pain, pain radiating to the shoulder tip, dizziness or fainting in early pregnancy is an emergency, whatever the number is doing. A single value also cannot date a pregnancy. The weekly ranges overlap so heavily that a result without ultrasound gives no reliable gestational age. Outside pregnancy, hCG is a tumour marker. Trophoblastic disease, such as a molar pregnancy and choriocarcinoma, produces very high values. Germ cell tumours can produce hCG in both sexes; in men the result is assessed alongside AFP and LDH. In a man, any detectable hCG is abnormal and calls for clinical assessment. Finally, two assay artefacts explain why a surprising result is confirmed rather than acted upon. In the high-dose hook effect, an extremely high hCG saturates the assay and a falsely low value is reported. In so-called phantom hCG, heterophile antibodies react with the test: serum is positive, urine is negative, and there is no pregnancy. In perimenopausal and postmenopausal women a low hCG can also be pituitary in origin, which is a recognised benign finding and not a pregnancy.

Vitamin B12 is believed to be vital for healthy nerve cells, red blood cell formation, and DNA synthesis. Low levels may be associated with anaemia, fatigue, and neurological symptoms. Early detection through testing may help prevent long-term complications.

Adequate vitamin D levels are essential for strong bones, a well-functioning immune system, and overall well-being. Low levels may be associated with an increased risk of bone disorders, mood changes, and weakened immunity. Consult your healthcare provider for personalised advice.

Iron is essential for oxygen transport, energy production, and immune function. Ferritin testing helps detect iron deficiency before anaemia develops, or iron overload which can damage organs. Consult your healthcare provider for personalised advice.