On the relationship between recurrent abortion and antiphospholipid syndrome

Recurrent abortion is defined as having three miscarriages before the gestational term of 20 weeks. As recurrent abortion has destructive effects on the emotional life of the couples, making attempts to sympathize with them usually leads to unverified tests and treatments. Thus, it is important to consider the possible intervening variables at work as well as having sympathetic and supportive attitudes toward the couples suffering from recurrent abortion. This way, it will not only help them come over with their emotional problems, but also helps the specialists to come up with some logical, cost effective and feasible ways of prevention and treatment. On the other hand, due to not having any remarkable improvement in diagnosing recurrent abortion and because of the importance of knowing its etiology, studies about the related factors and having plans for prophylactic and therapeutic procedures would be necessary. APL (Anti Phospholipid syndrome) is one of the major causes of abortion in the recent decades which is accordingly evaluated in this study.This cross-sectional, case-control study was done over two years (1385 and 1386 HS) in the academic research hospitals of the Medical School of Islamic Azad University in Mashhad. The subjects consist of 50 pregnant women, ranging from 20 to 40 years old, who were suffering from recurrent abortion. The control group was selected from the same range of age, having 2 full terms of pregnancy without any recurrent abortion. Some tests such as antiphospholipid antibody, lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibody were evaluated. The average age in the case group was 27; and in the control group 29 years old. 20% of the participants in the case group and 4% in the control group showed positive results from the antiphospholipid antibody test which was statistically significant (P=0.028). Anticardiolipin antibody was tested positive in 14% of the subjects in the case group and in 1% of the control group. This difference was not statistically significant (P=0.059). The two study groups were not significantly different in terms of Lupus anticoagulant (P= 0.495). Anti immune factors have been considered as one of the important factors by etiological studies on recurrent abortion that was also confirmed by this study and must be considered in the diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of this disorder.