In laboratory diagnostics, which testing method could be used for pregnancy testing?

Pregnancy testing commonly utilizes qualitative testing to determine whether the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is present in a person’s urine or blood. This type of testing provides a simple "yes or no" result regarding the presence of hCG, which is produced after a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. Hence, qualitative testing is ideal for determining pregnancy status in a straightforward manner, making it easily accessible and user-friendly.

In contrast, while quantitative testing measures the exact level of hCG and can be valuable for monitoring pregnancy progression or diagnosing potential issues, it is typically more complex and not as commonly used for initial pregnancy testing. The other options such as mixing testing and control testing do not specifically pertain to pregnancy diagnostics; mixing testing generally refers to combining samples in various laboratory settings, and control testing is used to validate the accuracy of other tests rather than identify pregnancy. Thus, qualitative testing is the most suitable method in this context.