POOR PREGNANCY OUTCOME AND ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES

The present study reports for the first time on the presence of antica rdiolipin antibodies (aCL) in a population of 259 women with a history of recurrent abortion, intrauterine death, and/or neonatal death asso ciated with fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia and abruptio placen tae. The overall incidence of aCL in this study group was 20.5%, a sta tistically significant increase in comparison with a control group. Th e highest positive rate was observed among women who presented both re current abortion and intrauterine death (33.3%), the lowest was observ ed among women with a history of neonatal death. Our findings confirm that aCL are strongly linked with fetal loss. Thus, before planning a subsequent pregnancy, the presence of aCL should be tested in all wome n with poor pregnancy outcome.