DNA-PLOIDY OF ECTOPIC PREGNANCY AND FIRST TRIMESTER SPONTANEOUS-ABORTION INVESTIGATED BY FLOW-CYTOMETRY

Background. To compare the success rate of DNA dow cytometry in determ ining the DNA ploidy status in ectopic pregnancy and first trimester s pontaneous abortion. Methods. Thirteen women with ectopic pregnancy (G roup I) and 17 women with first trimester spontaneous abortion (Group II) were included into this study. DNA flow cytometric analysis was pe rformed on all specimens. Aneuploidy was classified according to DNA i ndex. The first trimester spontaneous abortions were also karyotyped a fter long-term culture of chorionic villi. Student-t test and Fisher's exact test were used in statistical comparisons. Results. DNA aneuplo idy was found in five women with ectopic pregnancy (38.5%) versus in 1 2 women with first trimester spontaneous abortion (70.6%), and it was comparable. A triploidy and a tetraploidy were detected in group I. Si x tubal ectopic pregnancies were unruptured at laparatomy and four of them had aneuploid DNA content. Conclusions. We believed that DNA flow cytometry was successful in determining the ploidy status of ectopic pregnancy and first trimester spontaneous abortion. In addition, it wa s interesting that ectopic pregnancies with aneuploid DNA content tend ed to be unruptured. However, this suggestion needs to be confirmed by further studies with larger numbers of cases.