Early pregnancy factor in cervical mucus of pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
This study was carried out to determine the presence of early pregnancy factor (EPF) activity in cervical mucus of pregnant women and explore the relationship between EPF activity in sera suggested it and in cervical mucus.


METHODS
Cervical mucus and sera were collected from 60 pregnant women in different terms and 25 non-pregnant women, respectively. EPF activity was detected by rosette inhibition assay.


RESULTS
EPF activity did exist in cervical mucus of pregnant women and was similar both in cervical mucus and sera.


CONCLUSIONS
We report here for the first time the EPF activity in cervical mucus of pregnant women. The parallel change observed in sera suggested it might be another useful index in evaluating embryo viability.
Cheng
Shu-Juan
SJ
The Institute of Geriatric Cardiology, The General Hospital of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China.
Zheng
Zhen-Qun
ZQ
D002582:Cervix Mucus / Q000378:metabolism*; D018835:Chaperonin 10; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011259:Pregnancy Tests, Immunologic; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000378:metabolism; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000378:metabolism; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism*
D018835:Chaperonin 10; D010455:Peptides; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; C025124:early pregnancy factor