Pap Smear

. Human Growth Hormone (hGH) is produced by the pituitary gland, where it travels to various tissues and organs, promoting growth and regulating metabolism.
. It is primarily used to diagnose growth disorders in children, such as growth hormone deficiency or gigantism, and to evaluate conditions like acromegaly in adults.
. Stimulation and suppression tests are often more meaningful than random measurements.
. The test also helps in monitoring the effectiveness of GH treatments and assessing pituitary gland function.

. Semen analysis is conducted to evaluate male fertility by assessing sperm count, motility, morphology, and overall semen quality. It is used to identify potential causes of infertility. This test provides crucial insights into male reproductive health and guides treatment or intervention decisions. It should be combined with blood testing for a comprehensive analysis of male infertility.
. It is run on the new FDA-approved automated semen analysis system, SQA-IO, and sample evaluation criteria is based on the latest WHO Human Semen 6th edition guidelines.

. Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) is a hormone produced primarily by the placenta during pregnancy and plays a vital role in maintaining early pregnancy by supporting progesterone production.
. The β-hCG test is commonly used to confirm pregnancy, as its levels rise significantly in the early stages, often detectable as early as 10 days after conception. It also helps monitor the health of a pregnancy, with abnormally low or slow-rising levels indicating potential complications such as miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, while elevated levels may suggest multiple pregnancies or trophoblastic diseases like hydatidiform mole. It is also used to assess implantation and pregnancy progression in fertility treatments.
. Additionally, β-hCG is a marker for certain cancers, including testicular and ovarian tumors.
. This test is not a standalone diagnostic tool and must be interpreted alongside clinical findings and other tests, such as ultrasound.

An aldosterone test measures the amount of aldosterone in your blood or urine. Aldosterone is a hormone that helps regulate blood pressure and fluid balance.

. The Triple Test is a prenatal screening test typically performed during the second trimester of pregnancy, usually between 16 and 18 weeks.
. It involves measuring three key biomarkers in the mother’s blood: alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and estriol (uE3). These markers, when combined with the mother’s age and other factors, help assess the risk of chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome (Trisomy 21) and Edwards syndrome (Trisomy 18), and neural tube defects like spina bifida.
. While the triple test does not provide a definitive diagnosis, it offers a risk assessment, helping identify pregnancies that may require further diagnostic testing such as amniocentesis or ultrasound. The triple test is often used in combination with other screening methods such as ultrasound for biparietal diameter (BDP) to assess the risk more comprehensively.