title: Chromosomal abnormalities in couples with recurrent first trimester abortions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities in couples with two or more recurrent first trimester miscarriages of unknown cause.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on 151 women and 94 partners who had an obstetrical history of two or more consecutive first trimester abortions (1-12 weeks of gestation). The controls were 100 healthy women without a history of pregnancy loss. Chromosomal analysis was performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes cultured for 72 hours, using Trypsin-Giemsa (GTG) banding. In all cases, at least 30 metaphases were analyzed and 2 karyotypes were prepared, using light microscopy. The statistical analysis was performed using the Student t-test for normally distributed data and the Mann-Whitney test for non-parametric data. The Kruskal-Wallis test or Analysis of Variance was used to compare the mean values between three or more groups. The software used was Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 17.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in women with recurrent miscarriages was 7.3%, including 4.7% with X-chromosome mosaicism, 2% with reciprocal translocations and 0.6% with Robertsonian translocations. A total of 2.1% of the partners of women with recurrent miscarriages had chromosomal abnormalities, including 1% with X-chromosome mosaicism and 1% with inversions. Among the controls, 1% had mosaicism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An association between chromosomal abnormalities and recurrent miscarriage in the first trimester of pregnancy (OR=7.7; 95%CI 1.2--170.5) was observed in the present study. Etiologic identification of genetic factors represents important clinical information for genetic counseling and orientation of the couple about the risk for future pregnancies and decreases the number of investigations needed to elucidate the possible causes of miscarriages.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rozana Oliveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wendell Vilas Boas
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manoel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarno
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno Antonio Veloso
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Cerqueira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marilda Souza
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Olivia Lucia Nunes
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D055815:Young Adult