SUITABILITY OF FETAL TISSUES FROM SPONTANEOUS-ABORTIONS AND FROM ECTOPIC PREGNANCIES FOR TRANSPLANTATION

Objective.-To assess the potential availability and utility of fetal t issues obtained from spontaneous abortions and from ectopic pregnancie s for human transplantation therapy. Design.-Tissue collection and ana lysis by personnel skilled in tissue banking.Setting.-Procurement prog rams in five tissue banks located in diverse geographical areas that a re funded by the National Institutes of Health. Patients.-All women en tering obstetric clinics during 1993 who consented to participate in t he study. Interventions.-None. Main Outcome Measures.-Evaluation of th e products of conception by standard developmental, histological, micr obiological, and cytogenetic criteria. Results.-From 22 235 obstetric admissions, 1250 spontaneously aborted embryos and 247 products of ect opic pregnancies were obtained. Of these, seven embryos (0.5%) were po tentially useful for human transplantation therapy. Conclusion.-Fetal tissues from spontaneous abortions and from ectopic pregnancies are qu ite limited as feasible sources for human transplantation therapy,