SPONTANEOUS-ABORTIONS AND DNA-PLOIDY - AN APPLICATION OF FLOW CYTOMETRIC DNA ANALYSIS IN DETECTION OF NON-DIPLOIDY IN EARLY ABORTIONS

The value of DNA ploidy analysis utilizing paraffin-embedded materials in the detection of nondiploid gestations was examined in a year seri es of 217 spontaneous abortions in first trimester at a hospital. Thes e placentas were histologically classified as follows: 19 hydropic pla centas, six partial moles, three complete moles, and 189 nonhydropic p lacentas. Abnormal DNA content was found in 26 cases (12%). Twelve pla centas (5.6%) were triploid, seven were tetraploid, and seven were non triploid/tetraploid aneuploid. Of the triploid placentas, six were par tial moles, one was a hydropic placenta, and the remaining five were n onhydropic. Since large mononuclear cells in villous mesenchyme were o bserved in the triploid and tetraploid as well as in the diploid hydro pic placentas, in which category trisomic gestation was probable, thes e cells were not considered to be characteristic of trisomic placentas . Although placentas with hydropic villi had a significantly higher fr equency of the nondiploid DNA content than nonhydropic placentas, with the exception of partial moles, no correlation between the histology of villi and DNA ploidy was observed. Flow cytometric analysis using p araffin-embedded materials appears to be of value for the retrospectiv e study of spontaneous abortions, especially for assessing aneuploidy.