Claims
- 1. A method for determining the absence of ectopic pregnancy in a pregnant patient during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, said method comprising
- a) obtaining a test sample from the vaginal cavity; and
- b) determining the presence of a pregnancy indicating level of fetal fibronectin in the sample, the presence of a pregnancy indicating level of fetal fibronectin indicating the presence of an intrauterine pregnancy and the absence of an ectopic pregnancy.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample is obtained from the vicinity of the cervical canal.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample is obtained from the vicinity of the cervical os.
- 4. The method of claim 1 comprising the steps of
- a) contacting the sample with an anti-(fetal fibronectin) antibody for a time sufficient to permit antigen-antibody binding to occur; and
- b) determining the presence of said binding.
- 5. The method of claim 4 comprising the steps of
- a) contacting the sample with an insoluble support to which anti-(fetal fibronectin) antibody is adhered for a time sufficient to permit antigen-antibody binding to occur;
- b) contacting the insoluble support with an anti-fibronectin antibody for a time sufficient to permit antigen-antibody binding to occur; and
- c) determining the presence of a pregnancy indicating level of anti-fibronectin antibody on the insoluble support.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the anti-fibronectin antibody has a physically detectable label.
- 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the presence of anti-fibronectin antibody is determined by
- a) contacting the insoluble support with a labeled antibody which binds preferentially with the anti-fibronectin antibody; and
- b) determining the presence of the label on the insoluble support.
- 8. The method of claim 1 comprising the steps of
- a) contacting the sample with an insoluble support to which anti-fibronectin antibody is adhered for a time sufficient to permit antigen-antibody binding to occur, and removing the sample from the support;
- b) contacting the insoluble support with an anti-(fetal fibronectin) antibody for a time sufficient to permit antigen-antibody binding to occur; and
- c) determining the presence of a pregnancy indicating level of anti-(fetal fibronectin) antibody on the insoluble support.
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the anti-fetal fibronectin antibody has a physically detectable label.
- 10. The method of claim 8 wherein the presence of anti-(fetal fibronectin) antibody is determined by
- a) contacting the insoluble support with a labeled antibody which binds preferentially with the anti-(fetal fibronectin) antibody; and
- b) determining the presence of the label on the insoluble support.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/274,268, filed Nov. 18, 1988, which was a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 121,895 filed Nov. 17, 1987, both now abandoned.
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Hess et al, Obstet. Gynecol., 68:25-28 (1986). |
Kuusela et al, Scand. J. Immunol., 12:331-337 (1980). |
Ruoslahti et al, Int. J. Cancer, 27:763-767 (1981). |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07274268 |
Nov 1988 |
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