Antinuclear autoantibodies in women with recurrent pregnancy loss

PROBLEM: To investigate the possibility that antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are involved in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). METHODS: Case-control study carried out on 294 women (194 cases and 100 controls) in two University hospitals. The presence, the serum titers and the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) patterns of ANA were determined in women with RPL and in control women. RESULTS: Antinuclear antibodies at titers ≥ 1:80 were detected in 97 (50%) women with RPL and in 16 (16%) control women. Elevated ANA titers (≥1:180) were detected only in RPL women, whereas all control women had ANA titers no greater than 1:80. No differences could be detected in the IIF patterns between RPL and control women. No differences in ANA positivity could be detected according to the type (primary or secondary) or number (>2 versus ≥3) of losses. CONCLUSIONS: ANA could be of some value in identifying women with RPL with potential, although still not fully defined, immune abnormalities