Beta-hCG is a hormone which is very accurate at confirming at the earliest possible moment whether you are pregnant or not.

Many women prefer to regularly check their beta-hCG levels, particularly in early pregnancy, as the level rises steadily throughout the first trimester, before dropping down to a steady level for the rest of the pregnancy.

Seeing the steady rise in levels can be reassuring. If the levels stop rising during the first 10 weeks you should see you healthcare professional as it may indicate a problem with the pregnancy’s progression.

The test is quantitative so you can get a general indication of the age of the pregnancy. The “normal” range is very wide so it may not be possible to be completely confident of the age of the pregnancy but it will give a potentially useful parameter.

NB: On occasions beta-HCG is produced by some types of cancer so if there is any doubt it is important to get checked by a doctor.

Biomarker(s) Measured: Beta HCG (Quantitative)

This profile checks the function of your thyroid gland.

Thyroid disorders are common but are notoriously difficult to diagnose without a blood test.

It will give you a good indication as to whether your thyroid is functioning normally or not by checking your levels of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Free T4 (FT4).

These tests are mainly used to see whether or not you have an underactive thyroid gland (Hypothyroidism) or an overactive one (Hyperthyroidism) which can lead to tiredness, mood problems and weight issues.

Who should take a thyroid blood test and when?

This test is best taken if you have symptoms of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).

Signs of hypothyroidism can include tiredness, dry skin, thinning hair, weight gain, intolerance of cold, heavy periods, reduced fertility, memory loss, poor concentration and depression. 

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include unexplained weight gain/loss, sweating, tremors, heat sensitivity and loss of libido. It is more likely to occur with age—particularly over the age of 60—and among women.

Hypothyroidism is much more likely to occur with older age with over 13% of women over 60 with it. It is also more commone among pregnant women.

People with certain conditions are also much more likely to develop thyroid problems and should get tested regularly, this includes:

• Type 1 Diabetics
• Addison’s disease
• Coeliac Disease
• If you are on certain medications e.g Lithium and Amiodarone

Biomarker(s) Measured: Free T4 (thyroxine), Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

This blood test provides you with a comprehensive check-up of your general health giving you vital information about a wide range of very important health conditions. Having a blood test today can add years of health and wellness to your life. The conditions tested for very often take many years for symptoms to develop and some do not show any symptoms at all, but if not tested for, in the meantime, untreated, damage is being done.

This test will tell you if you have diabetes (HbA1c) – there are over 1 million people with diabetes who do not know they have it. Finding out will enable you to make the lifestyle changes and start treatments that will significantly lengthen your life and improve how you feel every day.

It includes a full cholesterol profile analysing over 5 parameters. Over 40% of adults have high cholesterol levels which is a very significant risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. The only way to detect if you have high cholesterol is through a blood test. It will enable you to make the changes you need to reduce your risk of some of the most common causes of death.

Your Iron levels are checked. Iron is essential to maintain blood health.

This profile also checks your liver function. Your liver is probably the most complex and vital organs in your body. It does such a wide range of things including digesting all your food and removing toxins and poisons – like alcohol. Finding that your liver is being stressed can make a huge difference to its (and your) long term health and wellness.

Included is a kidney function test. Your kidney is also a vital organ. Checking that it is working properly is done primarily by blood tests which will give you the opportunity to get treatment early if any is needed.

It checks your bone health with calcium which is vital for bones along with many other essential bodily functions, and checks your muscle health with creatine kinase which can show if you have damaged muscles.

Lastly it checks for gout which can be altered dramatically with lifestyle and treatment and can cause a lot of misery if ignored.

Biomarker(s) Measured: Low Density Lipoprotein, Triglyceride, Albumin, Cholesterol – Total, HbA1c (Glycosylated Haemoglobin), Non-HDL-Cholesterol, Calcium, Urate (Uric acid), Creatinine, Total Bilirubin, Urea, Total Cholesterol : HDL Ratio, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol, estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR), Iron, Gamma Glutamyl Transferase, Alkaline Phosphatase, Adjusted Calcium, Alanine Transaminase