Flagstad Hannah, Abdalla Tori E, Sultan Yasmina, Mastrodomenico Pedro, Wood Ellen G
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Downers Grove, USA.
Medicine, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, USA.
Cureus. 2023 Sep 26;15(9):e46029. doi: 10.7759/cureus.46029. eCollection 2023 Sep.
Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) can be a devastating experience for individuals trying to have children. Various potential causes contribute to the multifactorial pathogenesis of RPL, including chromosomal anomalies, endocrine conditions, autoimmunity, thrombophilias, and infectious agents. Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) offer an unspecific clue to the underlying autoimmune pathogenic etiology of RPL. This case details a 40-year-old female with a history of RPL, fibromyalgia, and ANA positivity, who spontaneously developed lupus anticoagulant antibodies during her second trimester of pregnancy. Although the recommended American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) diagnostic criteria for initiating a thrombophilia evaluation was not formally met, the patient's maintenance of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) throughout her pregnancy may have contributed to the success of the pregnancy. When treating a patient with RPL, consideration of the comprehensive clinical picture should precede the need to strictly adhere to published criteria for using non-proven clinical interventions. A risk-benefit analysis ought to be considered when offering patients additional medications that may come with some risks but could significantly improve the chances of a successful clinical outcome, such as live birth. We aim to provide evidence to promote greater flexibility in guidelines so that a patient's unique autoimmune etiologies of RPL are not overlooked.
复发性流产(RPL)对于想要孩子的人来说可能是一段毁灭性的经历。多种潜在原因导致了RPL的多因素发病机制,包括染色体异常、内分泌状况、自身免疫、血栓形成倾向和感染因子。抗核抗体(ANA)为RPL潜在的自身免疫性致病病因提供了非特异性线索。本病例详细介绍了一名40岁女性,有复发性流产、纤维肌痛病史且ANA呈阳性,她在妊娠中期自发产生了狼疮抗凝抗体。尽管未正式满足美国生殖医学学会(ASRM)推荐的启动血栓形成倾向评估的诊断标准,但患者在整个孕期使用低分子量肝素(LMWH)可能有助于妊娠成功。在治疗复发性流产患者时,应先考虑全面的临床情况,再严格遵循使用未经证实的临床干预措施的已发表标准。在为患者提供可能有一定风险但能显著提高临床成功几率(如活产)的额外药物时,应考虑风险效益分析。我们旨在提供证据,以促进指南更具灵活性,使患者复发性流产独特的自身免疫病因不被忽视。