Bacteremia and immunoglobulin classes in Nigerian women with recurrent abortion

Abstract

Apart from antiphospholipid- and thyroid- autoantibodies which were reported as underlying causes of recurrent pregnancy loss, specific IgG to patermal MHC and Rh was proposed. This raises the possibility of other classes of immunoglobulin in recurrent abortion. Twenty-four pregnant women with recurrent abortion (P+R), thirty-six pregnant women without recurrent abortion (P-R) and twenty-four non-pregnant women with no history of abortion as controls were recruited from Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Immunoglobulin classes (IgA, IgG and IgM) and prevalence of bacteria type in the blood measured by single radial immunodifussion and standard microbiology method respectively. The mean levels of IgA, IgG and IgM were raised in both P-R and P+R subjects compared with the controls. Four genera ( S. aureus, Strept. agalactice, Kleibsiella species and C. perfringes) of bacteria were detected in P+R subjects while 2 genera (Kleibsiella species and C. perfringes) of bacteria were found in P-R group. Bacteremia and raised immunoglobulin levels are occurrences in subjects with recurrent abortion.

Keywords: immunoglobulins, bacteria, pregnancy, recurrent abortion

The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 13(1) 2006: 5-9