Investigating the complications of frequent pregnancy loss in patients referred to obstetrics and gynecology clinics at King Khalid University Hospital

Abstract

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a common problem affecting many women. This study aimed to investigate the baseline characteristics of 400 women with RPL and to examine any differences in baseline characteristics of the recruited women with RPL throughout the years.

Methods: This study used retrospective data, which included the records of patients with RPL who visited King Khalid University Hospital's obstetric clinic between 2019 and 2022. The records of 400 patients who met the inclusion criteria were reviewed and analyzed.

Results: The mean age of enrolled women was 36.5 ± 5.4 years, and the mean RPL was 3.8 ± 2.5. The study also revealed that there were significant statistical differences in obesity and vitamin D deficiency among women with RPL based on year (P = 0.013 and P = 0.036, respectively), whereas no significant statistical differences were found between women with RPL in terms of age, parity, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperprolactinemia, antiphospholipid antibodies (APLs), uterine malformation, or consanguinity.

Conclusion: Advanced maternal age, number of previous miscarriages, parity, diabetes, hypothyroidism, APLs, uterine malformations, first-degree consanguinity, and vitamin D deficiency were found to be significant risk factors associated with RPL among women in Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: Diabetes; Saudi Arabia; maternal age; parity; recurrent pregnancy loss; risk factors; vitamin D deficiency.