Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Exam Prep 2025 – Complete Practice Resource

The correct answer involves serum quantification, which is a blood test specifically designed to measure the levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the serum. This type of test is valuable for several reasons. First, measuring serum HCG levels allows for the detection of pregnancy much earlier than a standard urine test. In addition to confirming pregnancy, serum quantification can provide important information about the progress of the pregnancy, such as identifying possible complications like ectopic pregnancies or miscarriage by monitoring whether HCG levels are rising appropriately.

While urine tests can detect HCG, they do not provide a specific measurement of the hormone's concentration. An ultrasound, although a crucial tool in pregnancy management, does not measure HCG levels but rather visualizes the developing embryo or fetus. A physical examination may suggest pregnancy through certain signs but does not provide specific measurements or confirm HCG presence directly. Thus, serum quantification stands out as the method that provides both confirmation of pregnancy and valuable insights into its status.