Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Multiplexed Fluorescent Immunohistochemical Staining of Four Endometrial Immune Cell Types in Recurrent Miscarriage
Published on: August 4, 2021
Thrombophilia investigation in Malaysian women with recurrent pregnancy loss
Thiruchelvam Ayadurai1, Sekaran Muniandy, Siti Zawiah Omar
1Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Aim:
The status of thrombophilia in Asian women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is obscure and poorly understood. Numerous studies suggest the non-existence or extreme rarity of the two important thrombophilia markers, factor V Leiden (FVL) and prothrombin G20210A (PTG) mutations, in patients of Asian ancestries. Thus, the consensus that thrombophilia is rare among Asians and laboratory investigations is irrelevant. We therefore investigated Malaysian women with RPL for thrombophilia abnormalities.
Methods:
A total of 402 patients (RPL subjects) and 160 female controls were screened for FVL, PTG and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase mutations using polymerase chain reaction, activated protein C resistance (APC-R) using clot-based tests, protein C and antithrombin using chromogenic tests, and protein S and antiphospholipid antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
Results:
APC-R was identified in 21.6% (87/402) of the RPL subjects. Of the 87 APC-R positive RPL subjects, 9.2% (8/87) were due to FVL, 51.7% (45/87) had protein S deficiency, 6.9% (6/87) had protein C deficiency, 6.9% (6/87) had combined protein S and protein C deficiencies, 1.1% (1/87) had antithrombin deficiency and 25.3% (22/87) had unidentifiable non-specific abnormalities. Antiphospholipid antibodies were identified in 4.2% (17/402) of the RPL subjects. FVL (2% = 8/402) and PTG (0.5% = 2/402) were identified in the Malay and Indian RPL subjects, but there were none in the Chinese subjects or the controls. Methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase was identified in 35.3% (142/402) of the RPL subjects.
Conclusions:
Thrombophilia was identified in more than one-quarter (26.6% = 107/402) of the RPL subjects. APC-R not caused by FVL mutation was the most common thrombophilia marker in Malaysians, whereas in Caucasians it was the APC-R due to FVL mutation. The identification of FVL and PTG mutations in Malaysian women with RPL disputes prevailing evidences suggesting its non-occurrence in patients with Asian ancestries.
Related Concept Videos
Venous Thrombosis II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Venous Thrombosis I: Introduction
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
Disorders of Hemostasis
Thromboembolic Disorders
Two factors primarily cause thromboembolic conditions.