Which one of the following hormone combinations is essential for fetal growth and maintenance of pregnancy.

Step-by-step solution

During pregnancy, the placenta acts as an endocrine tissue and produces several hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human placental lactogen (hPL), estrogens, and progestogens. hCG is responsible for maintaining the corpus luteum, which continues to secrete progesterone and estrogen during the early stages of pregnancy. Progesterone is essential for maintaining the endometrial lining of the uterus and preventing uterine contractions, thereby maintaining the pregnancy. Estrogens promote the growth o