title: Early pregnancy factor as a monitor for fertilization in women wearing intrauterine devices.
abstract: Measurement of early pregnancy factor (EPF) by the rosette inhibition test was performed on serum samples from 14 women using intrauterine devices (IUDs). Serial blood samples taken during the luteal phase of 23 cycles demonstrated in six of the cycles a transient appearance of EPF during the 6- to 8-day period following ovulation. In contrast, no EPF activity was found in sera obtained from women in whom fertilization was prevented, either by sexual abstinence or tubal ligation. These observations support the postulate that the IUD functions by the prevention of implantation of the fertilized ovum, rather than by preventing fertilization.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D018835:Chaperonin 10; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D008183:Luteal Phase; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D010455:Peptides; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012397:Rosette Formation; D012746:Sexual Abstinence; D013246:Sterilization, Tubal; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D018835:Chaperonin 10; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; C025124:early pregnancy factor; D011374:Progesterone