Pregnancy outcome is not affected by antiphospholipid antibody status in women referred for in vitro fertilization.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of antiphospholipid (aPL) and anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I (anti-beta2-GPI) antibodies in women referred for IVF and to prospectively evaluate the effect of these antibodies on IVF outcome.


METHODS
Prospective observational study.


METHODS
A university hospital and IVF unit.


METHODS
Three hundred eighty consecutive women referred for IVF.


METHODS
Blood samples taken before commencement of IVF cycles were tested for the presence of aPL (lupus anticoagulant [LA], anticardiolipin [aCL], and antiphosphatidyl serine antibodies [aPS]) and anti-beta2-GPI antibodies.


METHODS
Antibody prevalence, pregnancy rates, and live birth rates.


RESULTS
Of the total 380 women, 89 tested persistently positive for aPL (23.4%). None of 176 women tested for IgG aPS antibodies had a positive titer. Only 3.3% (11 of 329) tested positive for anti-beta2-GPI antibodies. Pregnancy rate, live birth rate, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight were not affected by aPL status.


CONCLUSIONS
Although women referred for IVF have a high prevalence of aPL, these antibodies do not affect the outcome of treatment. Screening women undergoing IVF for aPL is not justified.
Chilcott
I T
IT
Imperial College School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Margara
R
R
Cohen
H
H
Rai
R
R
Skull
J
J
Pickering
W
W
Regan
L
L
D000328:Adult; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I
D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor; D053482:beta 2-Glycoprotein I