Interactions of spontaneous abortion with gene and dietary carotenoids; a case-control study.

Spontaneous abortion (SA) is considered one of the most prevalent adverse outcomes of pregnancy. SA may occur due to genetic susceptibility and various maternal factors such as nutritional status. The aim of this study was to assess how dietary carotenoids and the gene are related to SA. This case-control study included 192 women with a history of SA as the case group and 347 healthy women without history of SA as the control group. To evaluate carotenoid intake, a valid 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used. The gene was genotyped for the presence of the polymorphism using the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain (ARMS-PCR). The results indicated a significant negative association between dietary intake of β-cryptoxanthin and SA in carriers of the TT genotype of the polymorphism after adjustment for age, BMI, physical activity, smoking, alcohol drinking, and calorie intake (β = -0.28, P = 0.02). No association was found between SA with dietary intake of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, and lycopene among carriers of different genotypes. The genotype may have an effect on the association between SA and carotenoid intake. Dietary intake of β-cryptoxanthin may act as a protective factor against SA only in carriers of the TT genotype of the polymorphism.