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| Embryo Toxic Factor | Some of the most common causes of miscarriage are due to pregnancy complications like blighted ovum, ectopic pregnancy or moral pregnancy. Nevertheless, women who experience multiple miscarriages will probably require additional examination so as to find out whether or not an original condition may be affecting fertility. Amongst the various fertility testing procedures that may be performed is the embryo toxic factor (ETF) test.
Embryo Toxic Factor – What is this?
It is a cytokine that is secreted by the immune system’s white blood cells in reaction to pregnancy tissue. If surplus quantities of ETF are generated by white blood cells during pregnancy, the immune system may distinguish the embryo as a foreign substance and may assault the embryo so as to uphold the body’s health. This in sequence will lead to a miscarriage.
Diagnosing Embryo Toxic Factor
Diagnosing embryo toxic factor requires a complex procedure involving laboratory examination. Therefore, if not a woman suffers from recurring miscarriages and requires testing for infertility, this type of diagnostic procedure will not be performed. In fact ETF testing is not a usual procedure, and is considered a new testing method.
ETF testing involves two phases to establish whether or not the body is producing an immune system response to pregnancy. The main task of the test is to assess whether or not the body’s lymphocytes (white blood cells) are generating any kind of substance that would be damaging to a developing embryo.
First, a blood sample will be taken with the intention to separate certain lymphocytes. These lymphocytes will be treated with a solution and left to culture for some days. These lymphocytes will then be combined with cultured mouse embryos and allowed to sit for some days. A fertility expert will then assess the embryo development as it is affected by these lymphocytes. If the embryos have stopped growing or have died, the presence of ETF will be determined. If the embryos are developing normally, no ETF is generated.
ETF Treatment and Miscarriage Prevention
With the intention to prevent the reappearance of miscarriage, certain cure options are obtainable for women with embryo toxic factor. Treatment of ETF to avoid future pregnancy complications usually involves immune system repression so as to allow embryo development and implantation to happen. Treatment may engage the following:
 progesterone in vaginal suppositories or gel caps taken until the sixteenth week of pregnancy;
IVIg infusions from donor blood;
progesterone oil injections in cases when the women is undergoing IVF treatment
Progesterone is commonly used to enlarge hormone levels and make the uterus stronger, and in higher doses works to repress the immune system. Speak to your health care provider for more information regarding your particular health conditions.
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