[Effect of autoantibodies on women with infertility]

The present study was conducted to elucidate the clinical significance of autoantibodies in infertility. Among 203 cases of infertility, 27 cases (A group) were positive for antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and 18 cases (B group) were positive for antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) regardless of the presence of ANA. The progress of pregnancy over time in the study period was clarified in 13 cases in A group and 12 cases in B group. Although only luteal support was given to the A group, appropriate for gestational age babies were obtained in all cases except 3 cases in which there occurred early abortion. In B group, babies were obtained successfully in 8 cases by steroid-aspirin therapy, but intrauterine fetal death occurred in the second trimester in 2 cases, and in the other 2 cases early abortion occurred. In cases positive for the antibody (beta 2(-)ACA) to cardiolipin, fetal distress did not occur in any of the 3 cases. On the other hand, in cases positive for the antibody (beta 2(+)ACA) to the cardiolipin-beta 2-glycoprotein I complex and/or lupus anticoagulant (LA), marked fetal distress occurred in all except one of the 7 cases. In conclusion, there was little correlation between ANA, beta 2(-)ACA and infertility, suggesting that the cause of infertility is the induction of placental circulating disorder by beta 2(+)ACA and LA.