In the present retrospective cohort study, the association of anti-Ro/SSA antibody with pregnancy loss and adverse pregnancy outcome in women with autoimmune diseases was investigated.
Obstetric histories of 154 anti-Ro/SSA-positive women with autoimmune diseases [78 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 76 non-SLE] were analysed and compared to a control group of 142 anti-Ro/SSA-negative women (71 SLE and 71 non-SLE) matched for disease diagnosis and age at the time of anti-Ro/SSA diagnosis. Obstetric history was also obtained and analysed from a group of healthy women, frequency matched to anti-Ro/SSA-positive women on age at study entry.
The rate of pregnancy loss and adverse pregnancy outcome did not differ significantly between anti-Ro/SSA-positive women, anti-Ro/SSA-negative women and healthy controls. Anti-Ro/SSA-positive SLE women reported a significantly higher rate (18.0%) of therapeutic abortions compared to anti-Ro/SSA-negative women (5.6%, P=0.0244) and healthy controls (4.6%, P=0.0013). Anti-Ro/SSA non-SLE-positive women reported a significantly higher rate (23.7%) of recurrent pregnancy loss in comparison to anti-Ro/SSA-negative women (7.04%, P=0.0063) and healthy controls (6.4%, P=0.0004).
Although anti-Ro/SSA antibody does not adversely affect pregnancy outcome in SLE patients, it appears to be associated with recurrent pregnancy loss in non-SLE patients.