Influence of hemostatic factors on spontaneous abortion

To assess the relationship between hemostatic factors and spontaneous abort ion, 134 pregnant women presenting to the emergency department were recruit ed and followed through 22 weeks' gestation. Cases were women experiencing a spontaneous abortion and controls were women who maintained their pregnan cy. Fibrinogen, factor VII antigen, activated protein C-sensitivity ratio ( APC-SR), protein S, and plasmin-antiplasmin (PAP) were measured. Cases had lower mean levels of fibrinogen and factor VII antigen compared with contro ls (3.1 g/L vs. 3.7 g/L and 89% of normal vs. 109% of normal, respectively) . Regression analyses found tl-lat women with fibrinogen levels below 3.0 g /L had a five fold increased risk: of spontaneous abortion (OR = 5.1, 95% C I: 1.8-14.4) and women with factor VII antigen levels below 94% of normal h ad a threefold increased risk of spontaneous abortion normal (OR = 3.3, 95% CI: 1.2-8.5), Similar mean levels of APC-SR, protein S, and PAP were found in the two groups.