Prevalence of anti-cardiolipin antibody in habitual aborters.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the detection of anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) in habitual aborters. Results above the 98th percentile of a distribution of 100 blood donors were considered to be positive. Specific binding index for ACA was higher in 20 patients with at least 3 consecutive spontaneous abortions (group A) than in 20 women with at least one live birth without pregnancy wastage (group B). ACA was detected in 4 patients of group A and in none of the women of group B. Most of the pregnancy wastages occurred after the first trimester in ACA-positive patients and during the first trimester in ACA-negative patients.