Shared HLA antigens in couples with 5 or more, compared to 3 or 4 consecutive recurrent miscarriages

Couples with consecutive recurrent miscarriages (CRM) are not generally believed to share more HLA antigens with their spouses than expected by chance. This paper attempted to determine the situation in patients with five or more miscarriages.

The number of shared HLA class I and class II antigens, HLA phenotype, and the ability to mount an antibody response in a large cohort of 425 couples with CRM was assessed, according to whether the patient had three or four, or five or more miscarriages.

There was no significant difference in the frequency of shared HLA antigens in women with five or more miscarriages when compared to three or more miscarriages or control patients. No specific HLA antigen or phenotype was associated with CRM in male or female partners of either group. The number of shared antigens did not influence ability to develop anti paternal antibodies (APA). Moreover, HLA antigen sharing had no influence on the subsequent pregnancy after paternal leucocyte immunization.

Class I and Class II HLA antigens are not diagnostic for immunologically mediated abortion, do not predict the ability to mount an antibody response, or the outcome of a subsequent pregnancy.