VARIATIONS IN CONCENTRATIONS OF THE MAJOR ENDOMETRIAL SECRETORY PROTEINS (PLACENTAL PROTEIN 14 AND INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN-1) IN ASSISTED CONCEPTION REGIMES

We have previously shown that placental protein 14 (PP14) concentratio ns were depressed in two pregnancies that followed down-regulation of the anterior pituitary and exogenous hormone support prior to a frozen -thawed embryo transfer, We now report on a more comprehensive series of pregnancies following this form of treatment, in-vitro fertilizatio n (IVF) and natural cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer, Serum specime ns were analysed for PP14 and insulin-like growth factor binding prote in-1 12 days after embryo transfer and at 7 weeks gestation, At 12 day s after embryo transfer, the mean serum PP14 concentrations in the IVF and natural cycle were significantly higher in those who conceived th an those who did not (82 versus 23 and 107 versus 39 mu g/l respective ly, P < 0.001), Although the mean PP14 concentration in the hormone-su pported pregnant patients was higher than in the non-pregnant patients , this had not reached statistical significance 12 days after embryo t ransfer (49 versus 31 mu g/l). By 7 weeks gestation the PP14 concentra tions in the hormone-supported pregnant patients were significantly hi gher than in the non-pregnant patients (152 versus 31 mu g/l, P < 0.00 1), However, the PP14 concentrations for hormone-supported pregnant pa tients were significantly lower (P < 0.001) than those for pregnant IV F or natural cycle patients at 7 weeks gestation (152, 777 and 660 mu g/l respectively), The PP14 concentrations in the pregnant patients, a lthough lower than those in IVF and natural cycle pregnancies, were hi gher than those previously reported in ovarian failure and Turner's sy ndrome ovum donation cycles, Patients treated by down-regulation and e xogenous hormones had significantly higher serum IGFBP-1 concentration s than IVF and natural cycle patients at 7 weeks gestation (P less tha n or equal to 0.01); mean concentrations 107, 58 and 43 mu g/l respect ively), Elevated IGFBP-1 concentrations may influence the rise in PP14 concentrations in these patients.