Antiphospholipid antibodies, infertility and recurrent miscarriage

Abstract

Antiphospholipid antibodies are found in 15% of women with recurrent miscarriage. These women have only a 10% live birth rate in subsequent pregnancies in which no pharmacological treatment is given. Pregnancy loss is often attributable to uteroplacental insufficiency subsequent to placental thrombosis. Treatment with low dose aspirin improves the live birth rate amongst women with antiphospholipid antibodies to 40% but this is further and significantly increased to 70% when they are treated with aspirin together with low-dose heparin.