In excreted urine, a reliable "marker" that a pregnancy has initiated is ________.

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Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a reliable marker that a pregnancy has initiated and is produced by the trophoblast cells of the developing embryo after implantation. It can be detected in the urine as early as 10-14 days after conception and is the basis for most at-home pregnancy tests. Progesterone and estrogen levels also increase during pregnancy, but they are not as specific to pregnancy and can be elevated in other conditions as well. Follicle-stimulating hormone and hypothalamic-releasing hormones are not markers of pregnancy.

In Excreted Urine, a Reliable "Marker" That a Pregnancy Has