Antiphospholipid antibodies in infertile couples with two consecutive miscarriages after in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

Of 682 women who had undergone in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with embryo transfer, 84 were successful on two occasions, with 16 of these resulting in miscarriage before 20 completed weeks. Antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in these women (group 1) and compared to two control groups: 42 fertile women with three or more miscarriages (group 2) and 60 women with primary infertility undergoing IVF or ICSI (group 3). An apparently higher prevalence of seropositivity was seen in group 1 women (25%) compared to the group 3 women (6.6%) and it was similar to that seen in group 2 women (21.4%). Therefore the recommendation that women with two consecutive miscarriages after IVF or ICSI should have APA estimations performed routinely may be justified.