Smoking Increases PROKR1 Protein in Fallopian Tubes & Likelihood of Ectopic Pregnancy

BBC: Smoking link to ectopic pregnancy:

Research from experts at Edinburgh University said Cotininetriggered a reaction which increased a protein in the Fallopian tubes.

They said the protein, called PROKR1, raised the risk of an egg implanting outside the womb.

Details of the study were published in the American Journal of Pathology.

PROKR1allows pregnancies to implant correctly inside the womb, but itspresence in the Fallopian tubes is believed to increase the risks ofthis happening outside the womb.

The study found thatwomen who smoked and developed an ectopic pregnancy had twice as muchPROKR1 in their Fallopian tubes as women who did not smoke and hadpreviously had a healthy pregnancy.

Researchersbelieve that too much of the protein prevents the muscles in the wallsof the Fallopian tubes from contracting, which in turn hinders thetransfer of the egg to the womb.

Added by: TP 09/27/10