The endometrial function test (EFT®) was created by Harvey J. Kliman, M.D., a research scientist in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale School of Medicine. An abnormal EFT is associated with pregnancy failure, while a normal EFT is associated with pregnancy success. Kliman's study, published in the July issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility, identifies two new biochemical markers, cyclin E and p27, that more accurately assess endometrial health compared to the routine examination that is done by pathology laboratories.

"These findings will help women who have difficulty conceiving become pregnant at a reduced cost," said Kliman who likens the endometrium to soil and the embryo to a treasured plant. "Soil has to be tested and prepared in order for the plant to grow in it. The endometrium also has to be healthy and capable of supplying the appropriate nutrients for the embryo. If the right conditions do not exist, implantation will not occur. This test, which uses these new biochemical markers, will improve assessment of the endometrium."

Kliman said the most difficult step in the process of conception is the attachment (implantation) of the embryo to the endometrium. Abnormalities in the process of implantation are believed to be the basis of many cases of unexplained infertility in women. A normal healthy endometrium will make many different substances (markers). By measuring several of these markers in endometrial biopsies, researchers can determine if the endometrium is receptive to implantation. Kliman said the two new markers he used in his study are more effective at assessing endometrial health than the other markers studied to date or methods in current us
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Contact: Karen N. Peart
karen.peart@yale.edu
203-432-1326
Yale University
15-Jul-2003