title: Antiphospholipid antibodies in pregnancy: prevalence and clinical associations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine prevalence, clinical association and predictive power of antiphospholipid antibodies in pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  To test for the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant in order to confirm prevalence data which imply that each antibody has the same clinical significance. A detailed obstetric history and the outcome measures were obtained from each patient in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  National Women's Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine hundred and thirty-three consecutively booked pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of auto-antibodies; perinatal morbidity and mortality; incidence of pre-eclampsia, growth retardation and fetal distress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine women (1.0%) had anticardiolipin antibodies, 11 (1.2%) had lupus anticoagulant and two had both antibodies. The fetal mortality rate for women with antibodies was 167/1000. Pre-eclampsia occurred significantly more often in women with auto-antibodies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies is frequently associated with adverse pregnancy outcome (9/18 pregnancies). High titre anticardiolipin antibodies carry a poor prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Auckland, National Women's Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Pattison
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Chamley
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Liggins
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000032:analysis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D001323:Autoantibodies; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor