Midfollicular anticardiolipin and antiphosphatidylserine antibody titers do not correlate with in vitro fertilization outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of anticardiolipin and antiphophatidylserine antibodies in an IVF population and to correlate their presence and specific isotype with IVF cycle outcome.

DESIGN

Retrospective clinical study using stored midfollicular sera for determination of antibody status.

SETTING

University hospital infertility clinic.

PATIENT(S): Women who underwent IVF treatment in 1991.

INTERVENTION(S): Midfollicular sera were used to assess antibody status during the time of stimulation for IVF.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Anticardiolipin and antiphosphatidylserine antibody titers and biochemical or sonographic documentation of IVF cycle outcome.

RESULT(S): The overall prevalence of anticardiolipin and antiphosphatidylserine antibodies in IVF patients was 7.0% and 11.2%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of these antibodies in the groups of patients with a biochemical pregnancy (0 for anticardiolipin and 2.8% for antiphosphatidylserine), spontaneous miscarriage (11.4% for anticardiolipin and 20% for antiphosphatidylserine), ongoing pregnancy (7.3% for anticardiolipin and 11.6% for antiphosphatidylserine), and patients who failed to conceive (7.2% for anticardiolipin and 10.8% for antiphosphatidylserine). There was no correlation between outcome and the antibody isotype expressed.

CONCLUSION(S): Anticardiolipin and antiphosphatidylserine antibodies are poorly predictive of the IVF cycle outcome. Routine testing of IVF patients for the presence of these antibodies is of limited clinical utility.