title: Fluctuation in the Levels of Immunoglobulin M and Immunoglobulin G Antibodies for Cardiolipin and β2-Glycoprotein among Healthy Pregnant Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Antiphospholipid antibodies fluctuate during a healthy normal pregnancy. This study aimed to investigate the levels of both immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies for cardiolipin and β2-glycoprotein (β2GP) among healthy pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted between May 2010 and December 2012. A total of 75 healthy Omani pregnant women with no history of autoimmune disease were investigated during their pregnancy and 90 days after delivery at the Armed Forces Hospital in Muscat, Oman. A control group of 75 healthy Omani non-pregnant women were also investigated as a comparison. Levels of IgM and IgG antibodies for both anti-cardiolipin antibodies (ACAs) and β2GP were measured using a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ACA IgM levels were significantly higher in the control group compared to the pregnant women (P <0.001). No significant differences were observed in the ACA IgM levels between the control group and the pregnant women after delivery. In contrast, ACA IgG levels were significantly higher during pregnancy and after delivery compared with those of the healthy control group (P = 0.007 and 0.002, respectively). The levels of β2GP IgG were significantly higher during pregnancy than after delivery and in the control group (P = 0.001 and <0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, ACA IgG levels increased during healthy pregnancies and after normal deliveries whereas β2GP IgG levels increased transiently during the pregnancies. Both phenomena were found to be significantly associated with a transient decline in the levels of IgM specific for these antigens. Therefore, the levels of these antibodies may be regulated during a healthy pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Mohammed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al-Balushi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Sidgi S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hasson
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Elias A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Said
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Juma Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Al-Busaidi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Muna S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al-Daihani
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Mohammed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia;
authors.forename: Talal A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sallam
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Idris
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics & Gynaecology, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Moza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Kalbani
authors.affiliation: Medicine, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Woodhouse
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman;
authors.forename: Ali A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Jabri
keywords: Anticardiolipin Antibodies; Oman; Pregnancy; Women; beta 2-Glycoprotein I