Patent ID: 6210918
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: A61K,C12N,G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
A non-invasive non-surgical method for detection, diagnosis or prediction of term or pre-term labor in a pregnant female, said method comprising steps:(a) obtaining a sample of blood, plasma, serum, urine or saliva from the pregnant female;(b) subjecting said sample to a procedure detecting a level of nitric oxide, arginine or citrulline, or activity of nitric oxide synthase, expression of nitric oxide synthase or conversion of nitric oxide to its metabolites nitrate and nitrite in said blood, plasma, serum, urine, saliva or a tissue sample obtained from the pregnant female;(c) detecting, diagnosing or predicting said term or preterm labor by comparing levels of nitric oxide, arginine or citrulline, or activity of nitric oxide synthase, expression of nitric oxide synthase or conversion of nitric oxide to its metabolites nitrate and nitrite obtained from a tested female to levels obtained from a pregnant non-laboring female.