Vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms and idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether four common polymorphisms (-2578C/A, -1154G/A, -634G/C, and 936C/T) of the gene encoding for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are associated with idiopathic recurrent miscarriage.

Design: Prospective case-control study.

Setting: University teaching hospital.

Patient(s): Fifty-two patients with a history of three or more unexplained consecutive pregnancy losses and 82 healthy, postmenopausal controls with at least two live births and no history of pregnancy loss.

Intervention(s): None.

Main outcome measure(s): Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis were performed to identify the different VEGF alleles.

Result(s): There was a significant difference in the -1154G/A genotype and allele frequency between women with recurrent pregnancy loss and controls. The risk of recurrent pregnancy loss was lower in the carriers of the G allele than in women carrying the A allele (odds ratio = 1.91, 95% confidence interval, 0.12-3.28). No significant association between recurrent spontaneous abortions and -2578C/A, -634G/C, and 936C/T genotypes was found. Between women with primary and secondary idiopathic recurrent miscarriage, no statistically significant differences with respect to allele frequencies were observed.

Conclusion(s): This is the first report on VEGF gene polymorphisms in women with recurrent miscarriage, demonstrating that the -1154G/A VEGF gene polymorphism is associated with idiopathic recurrent abortions.