Blood hCG Levels Patient Blood hCG Levels (mIU/mL) 1 111 256 2 529 3 3 4 15 392 How would you be able to determine whether Patients 1 and 4 are in the earlier stages or later stages of pregnancy?...

a. A second blood sample can be taken from both patients during the following week. If the hCG levels are increasing, they are in the earlier stages of pregnancy. If the hCG levels are stable or decreasing, they are in the second or third trimester.

b. hCG levels are very high during the first trimester and lower during the second trimester. Therefore, Patient 1 is in the first trimester and Patient 4 is in the third trimester.

c. It would not be possible to determine the stages of pregnancy through blood analysis. Therefore, these two patients must go through amniocentesis procedures to determine gestational age of the fetus.

d. Urine samples can be obtained to check for hCG levels. If the urine samples show the presence of hCG hormones, we can safely determine that these two patients are pregnant.