Serum activities and concentrations, respectively, of early pregnancy factor (EPF), early pregnancy associated protein (EPAP), beta-hCG, estradiol, progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone were estimated in 20 healthy primigravidae within the tenth to twelfth completed gestational week before and after therapeutic abortion. EPF, beta-hCG and estradiol markedly decreased after termination of pregnancy, whereas progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone concentrations moderately fell. EPAP showed no significant alterations in a 24 hours period. Because of its possible role as immunosuppressive substance and its short half-life EPF may be a promising immunobiomarker for disturbances in early pregnancy.

Serum concentrations of the early pregnancy factor (EPF), beta-hCG and the early pregnancy associated protein (EPAP) were measured in 12 patients before and after therapeutic abortion for social-medical reasons. Detection of EPF was performed by the rosette-inhibition assay, beta-hCG quantification by radioimmunoassay and EPAP measurements by rocket immunoelectrophoresis using a monospecific polyclonal rabbit antiserum. The disappearance rate of EPF after termination of pregnancy was closely correlated with the decrease of beta-hCG concentrations (rpbis = 0.71) and loosely correlated with the decrease of EPAP concentrations (rPbis = 0.43). No correlation has been found between hCG and EPAP values.

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