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The HCG diet claims to be natural, promises to help you lose a pound or more a day and even discourages exercise. But critics and medical doctors say it can be also dangerous. HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin and is a hormone that is produced during pregnancy. It's detected in the urine of pregnant women. HCG retailers say it works because it goes on the same concept that a pregnant woman's body will use stored fats to help send nutrients to the baby, even if she is not eating much.

Jose Canseco was held for nearly 10 hours by immigration authorities after agents said they stopped the former baseball star as he attempted to bring a fertility drug from Mexico, his lawyer said Friday. Canceco was detained at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing Thursday after agents searched his vehicle and said they found human chorionic gonadotropin, which is illegal without a prescription, said his attorney, Gregory Emerson. Emerson declined to say if Canseco — who admitted to using steroids in a 2005 book that also alleged steroid use by other baseball players — had the drug, which is banned...

I have a question: Have any of you, during yours (or your wive's) pregnancies, ever experienced low HCG levels? My wife and I recently found out we are blessed with a second child, due in August. We got the initial bloodwork back from her doctor (last Friday), and he said her HCG levels were a bit on the low side (72). We went again Sunday and had the same bloodwork done, and her levels did go up, slightly (100). They want us to go back on Tuesday to see how the numbers have climbed...ideally they're supposed to double every few...