Study on Anticardiolipin Antibodies in Women with Recurrent Abortion in Duhok province, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

 Recurrent abortion is a worldwide issue. Anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) are found to be among the most important factors related to recurrent spontaneous early pregnancy loss. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anticardiolipin IgM and IgG antibodies in women with recurrent abortion in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The present study was conducted in Duhok and Zakho cities for the period from April 2014 to May 2019. A total of 1230 women aged between 18 to 46-year-old were included in this study. ELISA was used for the detection of anticardiolipin antibodies. Among the studied subjects, the prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies was 74 (6.02%) for ACA IgM and 56 (4.6%) for ACA IgG. It was also observed that 16 (1.3%) subjects were positive for both ACA IgM and IgG antibodies. Additionally, the highest anticardiolipin antibody positivity rates were recorded in patients older than 30-year-old (P<0.01). The IgM ACA positivity was higher in Zakho city 45 (7.2%) when compared to Duhok city 29 (4.6%) (P<0.04). In conclusion, anticardiolipin antibodies can have a positive association among women with recurrent abortion. Therefore, it is suggested that women with recurrent abortion should be screened for anticardiolipin antibodies; this could increase fetal survival by initiating early anticoagulant therapy when other causes of abortion are excluded.