title: Pregnancy complicated by primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is a clinical entity that may threaten the health of both fetus and mother.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a fatal case of primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome in a woman who developed catastrophic disease due to multisystem thrombosis in the postpartum period following a fetal death. Three years before her admission, primary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome was diagnosed on the basis of high titers of immunoglobulin G anticardiolipin antibody, a positive lupus anticoagulant, a false-positive VDRL, and fibrin deposits in the biopsy of a palmar lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The physician must recognize the potentially catastrophic complications of pregnancy and the postpartum period in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies, and appropriate patient counseling should be provided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Medical School, California.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hochfeld
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Druzin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications