Risk factors associated with a new pregnancy loss and perinatal outcomes in cases of recurrent miscarriage treated with lymphocyte immunotherapy

Abstract

Objective: To assess the perinatal outcomes and risk factors for further pregnancy loss in patients with recurrent miscarriage treated with lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT).

Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of women with a history of two or more consecutive miscarriages who underwent LIT. All patients had undergone investigation of the etiology of the pregnancy losses according to a specific protocol. These etiologic factors were compared between those whose pregnancy outcome was successful and those who had a further miscarriage. The comparison between the groups was performed by Kruskal–Wallis, Fisher exact and Chi-square tests. Perinatal outcome data were collected for the successful pregnancies.

Results: One-hundred six patients were included. The mean number (±SD) of previous pregnancies, deliveries and miscarriages in all patients were 2.73 ± 0.8, 0.19 ± 0.4 and 2.54 ± 0.6, respectively. A successful pregnancy outcome after lymphocyte therapy occurred in 82 patients (group I), while 24 (22.6%) sustained a further miscarriage (group II). There was no statistical difference in the genetic, anatomic and hormonal causes of miscarriage between the groups (p > 0.05). Antinuclear (ANA) and antithyroglobulin (TgAb) autoantibodies occurred more frequently in group II (p = 0.0010 and p = 0.0024, respectively). Of those with successful pregnancies, 11 women (13.4%) had a preterm delivery. The mean birth weight was 3036.4 ± 498.6 g.

Conclusion: In patients with recurrent miscarriage treated with LIT, the presence of ANA and TgAb was a risk factor for further pregnancy loss. Perinatal outcomes in those whose pregnancies continued were favorable.

• Lymphocyte immunotherapy
• miscarriage
• perinatal outcome
• recurrent miscarriage
• risk factors

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Stefan C. Kane in editing the final draft of this article.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.