CHROMOSOME ERRORS AS A CAUSE OF SPONTANEOUS-ABORTION - THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF MATERNAL AGE AND OBSTETRIC HISTORY

Objective: To evaluate the likelihood of obtaining a chromosome diagno sis in caws of spontaneous abortion (SAB) and of the relative importan ce of maternal age versus obstetric history in predicting the fetal ka ryotype. Design: Obstetric history was obtained from all 100 cases of miscarriage in 1 year when products of conception were sent for chromo some studies. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calcul ate odds ratio and statistical significance for correlations between h istorical factors and the probability of any chromosomal abnormality o r trisomy. Results: A chromosome diagnosis was made in 84% of cases. M aternal age was a more important predictor of chromosome abnormality, specifically trisomy, than history of previous livebirths or miscarria ges. Conclusion: Results from chromosome studies using chorionic villi from SABs are diagnostically useful, even when the patient has a hist ory of repeated miscarriages.