2135      HCG, Quant [Serum]
Specimen:
  Collect: One 7.5 mL SST

Also Acceptable
One 4 mL Green Top (Li Heparin) 
  Submit: 1 mL (Min:0.5 mL) Serum. Submit Refrigerated. Submit in a Standard Transport Tube.

Also Acceptable
1 mL (Min:0.5 mL) Plasma. Submit Refrigerated. Submit in a Standard Transport Tube. 
  Special Handling: Allow specimen to clot completely at room temperature
Avoid Repeated Freeze/Thaw Cycles
Separate from cells ASAP 
  Rejection Criteria: EDTA plasma 
  Stability: Ambient: 8 Hour(s); Refrigerated: 2 Day(s); Frozen: 6 Month(s); Incubated: Unacceptable 
Performed: Sun-Sat 
Reported: 1-3 Day(s) 
CPT Codes:
84702 - HCG, Quant
Interpretive Data:
General Reference Range : <10 mIU/ml

Reference ranges for HCG
Gestation Age HCG Conc. (mIU/ml)
0-2 weeks 10-500
2-3 weeks 100-1000
3-4 weeks 500-6000
1-3 months 5000-200,000
2nd & 3rd trimester 5000-50,000

HCG values in early normal pregnancy double every 48 hours.