CAN MATERNAL ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES PREDICT THE BIRTH OF A SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE CHILD

Background. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the maternal level of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPA) measured by anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and fetal growth retardation (SGA). Methods. A nested case control design was carried out in a prospective cohort study of 1552 para I and para II women. The study group consisted of all 138 women who gave birth to a SGA-child (defined as birthweight <10th percentile). A control group of 276 women was randomly selected from mothers of non-SGA children. Levels of aPA were measured in banked sera drawn from the women in the 33rd week of pregnancy and compared between cases and controls. Results. There were 3 (2.5%) sera with aPA above 97.5 percentile among the cases and 3 (1.2%) among the controls. This difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion. Antiphospholipid antibody measurements obtained at 33 weeks of gestation cannot be used to assess the risk of birth of a small for gestational age infant among parous women.