Objective: This investigation was done to study the prevalence of anti-nucl
ear antibodies (ANA), anti-cardiolipin antibodies (aCL), and rheumatoid fac
tor (RF), in presumed healthy women during their pregnancies.
Study design: During an 18 month period blood samples were taken in the fir
st, second and third trimester from 1200 pregnant women, representing a low
-risk population. Clinical data on the pregnancy outcome were obtained by b
irth statistics after their deliveries. The diagnoses of preeclampsia, intr
auterine growth retardation, fetal death, or abruptio placentae were stated
in 57 of these women. An age and parity-marched control group of 207 women
with normal pregnancy outcome was drawn from the same low-risk population
(n=1200). A nonpregnant control group consisted of 157 women. The prevalenc
e of ANA (immunofluorescence microscopy on HEp-2 cells), aCL-immunoglobulin
G (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and RF (latex agglutination test) i
n preeclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation, fetal death, or abruptio p
lacentae were compared to the normal pregnancies, and to the nonpregnant co
ntrols.
Results: ANA occurred significantly more often (P<0.05) in pregnancies comp
licated by preeclampsia when compared to normal pregnancies. aCL occurred s
parsely in normal as well as complicated pregnancies. RF was infrequently s
een among all women in this study.
Conclusion: An association was noted between the occurrence of ANA and pree
clampsia. However, this association was too insensitive to use as a clinica
l tool. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd All rights reserved.