Fetal wastage in women with anti-Ro(SSA) antibody

Retrospective obstetric histories were obtained in 50 anti-Ro(SSA) antibody positive women (aged 15-50 years) and 47 anti-nRNP antibody positive women of similar age range. Twenty (40%) anti-Ro(SSA) positive women and 33 (70%) anti-nRNP positive women fulfilled the revised ARA criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Thirty-four anti-Ro(SSA) positive women had a total of 84 pregnancies with a fetal loss of 28%; 29 anti-nRNP positive women had a total of 63 pregnancies with a fetal loss of 19%. Although the overall frequency of fetal wastage between the 2 groups was not significantly different, analysis of the subgroup of SLE patients demonstrated a significantly greater fetal wastage in black anti-Ro(SSA) positive women (15 of 21, 71%) compared with black anti-nRNP positive women (5 of 28, 18% p less than .001). No significant difference in fetal wastage was noted between either the white SLE or the non-SLE women in either antibody group. These data suggest that black SLE patients with anti-Ro(SSA) antibody may be at increased risk of fetal wastage.