Prevalence and Causes of Recurrent Abortion among Women in Beni-Suef Governorate

Research Abstract

Abstract: Objective: The current study searched for prevalence, causes or risk factors and how to prevent recurrent abortion among women in Beni-Suef Governorate. In women, progesterone is a hormone produced mainly in the ovaries. After an egg is released by the ovaries (ovulation), progesterone helps make the uterus ready for implantation of a fertilized egg. Peri-implantation pregnancy loss contributes to more than 20% of unexplained infertility. Deficient hormone levels result in aberrant growth and support of the uterine lining making it un-ideal for implantation. Polymorphisms within the progesterone receptor (PGR) gene, allele and genotype frequencies of patients with repeated abortions were compared also to a control group. Design: Risk factors of abortion like age, consanguinity, drug abuse, hormonal disturbances, and exposure to fever, X-rays or smoke during their pregnancies in a group of 40 women with repeated abortions compared with controls matched in number and whom their pregnancies were completely normal. Serum progesterone and the locus rs590688of their PGR were screened for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Results: There was a significant difference between patients and control groups in risk factors and in the serum progesterone levels (p<0.001). The SNP was detected (locus rs590688). The more frequent wild type (*1) allele and the rarer (*2) allele were found in the control group and in the study group at different frequencies (control group: *1/*1: 70%, *1/*2: 27.5%, *2/*2: 2.5%; patient group: *1/*1: 35%, *1/*2: 47.5%, *2/*2: 17.5%). The genotypes distributions differed significantly from each other (P<0.001). Conclusions: The data suggest that the rarer PGR allele may be associated with an increased likelihood of repeated abortions to its multi-factorial causes. Couples who experience recurrent pregnancy loss may benefit from a medical evaluation and psychological support. [Khadiga M. Abou-Gabal, Hoda El-Fayoumi, Ekram El-Shabrawy, Amani Hammed and Amal Roshdi. Prevalence and Causes of Recurrent Abortion among Women in Beni-Suef Governorate

Research Keywords

Abortion; Toxoplasma; HCMV; risk factors; progesterone receptor gene; SNP; allele