Reducing/oxidizing activity of maternal urine as indicator of fetal gender related characteristics

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for determining the gender of an unborn child by assaying the overall reducing/oxidizing or redox activity of the maternal urine or other body fluid. The method can be used to determine fetal gender at any time point during the entire pregnancy, the earliest being the first day of a missed menstruation. The body fluid may be processed before assaying. Processing may involve aging the body fluid, or purification of various fractions. The methods of the present invention also provide for a means for pre-conception baby gender planning by assaying the overall redox activity of a non-pregnant female's urine or other body fluid. The overall redox activity of a urine sample correlates with the gender specific compatibility of the ovum being released during a particular menstrual cycle. Therefore, assaying the overall redox activity of a non-pregnant female's urine will help a couple conceive a baby having a desired gender.

1 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method of determining the gender of a fetus, or a method of pre-conception baby gender planning, comprising the steps of:
 (a) obtaining a body fluid from a pregnant female carrying the fetus, or from a non-pregnant female in a menstrual cycle;   (b) aging the body fluid for at least about 2 days;   (c) contacting the body fluid with at least one redox indicator;   (d) detecting redox activity of the body fluid; and,   (c) comparing the redox activity of the body fluid with at least one standard to determine the gender of the fetus, or to determine gender-specific compatibility of the ovum released in the menstrual cycle of the non-pregnant female.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the body fluid is selected from the group consisting of urine, tears, saliva, sweat, blood, plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid and amniotic fluid. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the body fluid is obtained during a period ranging from about 4 days before a missed menstruation to about 40 weeks of pregnancy. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the body fluid is obtained near ovulation or middle of the menstrual cycle. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the redox indicator comprises a heteropoly acid or its salts. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the heteropoly acid is phospho-24-tungstic acid. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the redox indicator is a chromogenic chemical. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the chromogenic chemical comprises an oxidation-reduction sensitive metallic ion selected from the group consisting of copper, iron, chromium, tungsten and molybdenum ions in an oxidized state. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the chromogenic chemical is selected from the group consisting of ferric tripyridyltriazine (Fe(III)-TPTZ) complex and potassium ferricyanide. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the redox activity is measured using a free radical. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the free radical is a hydroxyl radical. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the redox activity is measured on a solid substrate which comprises a redox indicator. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the redox indicator is a chromogenic chemical. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the body fluid is aged at room temperature for a period of time ranging from about 1 week to 52 weeks in step (b). 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of processing the body fluid prior to step (c). 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the processing comprises enzymatic treatment, extraction, and/or purification. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the processing comprises using adsorbants selected from the group consisting of talc, silica-based particles such as silica gel, alumina, florisil, charcoal, kaolin, concanavaline A and its conjugates, calcium phosphate, calcium hydroxide, calcium chloride, Cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide, lectin, protein or glycoprotein hydrolyzing enzymes, glassfiber filter, ion exchange resins, affinity ligands, organic solvents, solid phase extractants, size exclusion sieves, and reverse phase chromatographic materials. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the processing comprises using precipitants. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the precipitants comprise heavy metals selected from the group consisting of barium, lead, molybdenum and tungsten. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the precipitants are selected from the group consisting of barium chloride, barium hydroxide, zinc chloride, mercuric chloride, lead acetate, ammonium sulphate, dextran, acetonitrile, chloroform, sodium hydroxide, trichloroacetic acid, potassium iodate and their mixtures.