title: Antinuclear antibodies in sera of patients with recurrent pregnancy wastage.
abstract: Four groups of women were studied to determine whether low-level antinuclear antibody titers are associated with a higher risk for pregnancy loss. Group A consisted of 30 patients with a history of unexplained fetal losses. Group B consisted of 30 women with "explained" fetal losses (e.g., uterine septum or luteal phase defect). Ages and number of losses were comparable between the women in groups A and B. Group C consisted of 61 healthy pregnant women. Group D involved 61 healthy nonpregnant women of reproductive age. In groups A and B, 40% and 53.3% of the respective patients had antinuclear antibody titers greater than or equal to 1:40. In groups C and D the frequencies of positive antinuclear antibody titers were 8.2% and 5.6%, respectively. This study demonstrates a high prevalence of low-titer antinuclear antibody-positive serum in patients with explained and unexplained pregnancy losses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rock
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Damewood
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schlaff
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Zacur
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology*; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000276:immunology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear