Seroprevalence of antinuclear antibodies, Antibrucella antibodies, and hepatitis B surface antigen in women with recurrent abortion

Abstract EN

Background : Recurrent abortion is a globally common problem.

Many factors play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of abortion such as antinuclear antibodies (ANA), antibrucella antibodies and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).

Objectives: The study objective was to estimate the serum levels of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), antibrucella antibodies, and hepatitis B surface antigen among recurrent aborting women.

Materials and Methods : One hundred and twenty women were enrolled in this prospective case–controlled study from Maternity Hospital, Erbil City, Iraq.

The study included sixty patients with a history of three and more attacks of previous abortions and sixty healthy pregnant women.

All were screened for ANA-IgG, antibrucella antibodies, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum.

Results : It was noted that 15 / 60 (25%) patients and 6 / 60 (10%) healthy controls were positive for ANA-IgG with a mean concentration of 6.2 ± 0.4 IU/ml in the patient group and 0.75 ± 0.325 IU/ ml in the healthy controls with statistical significance at P ≤ 0.05.

The distribution for ANA with antibrucella and HbsAg in patient group was as follows: 12/15 (80%) and 6/15 (46.15%), respectively, among the seropositive ANA patients with a high significance at P < 0.01 for antibrucella and a significance at P < 0.05 for HbsAg.

Conclusions: ANAs constitute an important cause of recurrent mid-trimester abortion in women.

Furthermore, there is growing clues of the pathogenicity of Brucella organisms and hepatitis B virus, especially as agents of adverse pregnancy.