Pediatrics & Neonatology
Volume 50, Issue 4 , Pages 143-146, August 2009

Neonatal and Pregnancy Outcome in Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome: A 10-year Experience in One Medical Center

  • An-Kuo Chou

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-Lin Branch, Douliu, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Song-Chou Hsieh

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Yi-Ning Su

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Suh-Fang Jeng

      Affiliations

    • School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chien-Yi Chen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hung-Chieh Chou

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Po-Nien Tsao

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Wu-Shiun Hsieh

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, No. 7, Chung-Shan S. Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, ROC

Received 7 August 2008; received in revised form 24 October 2008; accepted 13 November 2008.

Article Outline

Background

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in pregnancy is characterized by the presence of maternal autoantibodies in association with recurrent fetal loss and severe obstetric complications such as prematurity, intrauterine growth retardation, or placental insufficiency. This study aimed to assess the perinatal outcomes in neonates born to mothers with APS.

Methods

The medical records of pregnant women with APS and their offspring were retrospectively collected between January 1997 and July 2007. Maternal and perinatal histories including demographic data, medications, obstetric histories, and neonatal clinical manifestations and laboratory data were analyzed.

Results

Eleven women with a diagnosis of primary APS were included. Eight of these patients had experienced frequent spontaneous abortions (72.7%), and four had unexplained fetal deaths (36.3%). None of them had vascular thrombosis. Specific autoimmune antibodies were detected, including anticardiolipin antibody (n = 6), anti-β2 glycoprotein I (n = 3), and antiphospholipid antibody (n = 7). Among the pregnancies, five had preterm births (45.4%), two had intrauterine growth retardation (18.1%), and one had intrauterine fetal demise (9.1%). Thrombocytopenia was noted in three babies, all of whose mothers had lower platelet counts. One patient with neonatal thrombocytopenia developed intracranial hemorrhage, seen on brain images.

Conclusions

This limited study suggests that neonates born to mothers with primary APS are at risk of prematurity, being small for gestational age, and having thrombocytopenia. Further large, prospective studies are required to better define the perinatal outcomes.

Key Words:  antiphospholipid syndrome , maternal and neonatal outcome , preterm birth , small for gestational age , thrombocytopenia

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PII: S1875-9572(09)60052-8

doi:10.1016/S1875-9572(09)60052-8

Pediatrics & Neonatology
Volume 50, Issue 4 , Pages 143-146, August 2009

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