Prenatal selection and fetal development disturbances occurring in carriers of G6PD deficiency

The incidence of spontaneous abortions in women with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency was studied. In 78 families where the wife was a heterozygous carrier of G6PD deficiency the percentage of unsuccessful pregnancies with spontaneous abortions occurring in the first trimester was higher (21.7%, calculated from 258 pregnancies) than in the control group (9.3%, calculated from 678 pregnancies.