RISK-FACTORS FOR SPONTANEOUS-ABORTION AMONG SAUDI WOMEN

The objective of this study was to identify important risk factors for spontaneous abortion (SA) among Saudi women. It was a case-control st udy conducted at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia . The cases were 226 consecutive women hospitalized for SA between Oct ober 1992 and January 1993. The controls were 226 consecutive women wh o had normal delivery in the same hospital during the same period. Biv ariate analysis using chi-square tests and estimates of relative risks indicated a positive association of age at menarche with risk of SA ( P < 0.01). Also, there was a significant higher risk of SA when a woma n was married to a blood related husband than if married to a non rela tive (RR = 2.1). The number of previous abortions was also positively related to the risk of SA in the current pregnancy (P < 0.01). Compare d to primigravidas, the risk of SA was 3.2 times greater than if the o utcome of the most recent pregnancy was also an SA. Other factors that had significant bivariate association with SA were a family history o f SA, abdominal trauma, and infection during pregnancy. When multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for the effects of confounding variables, all the factors that showed significant bivariate associati on with SA (except outcome of the last pregnancy) remained significant . Early menarche may be protective, but further study is needed to con firm this. Greater attention should be given to pregnant women who had personal or family history of SA and those who had trauma and/or infe ction during pregnancy. Premarital counselling concerning consanguineo us marriages is recommended.