Obstetrics & Gynecology Track the topics, authors and articles important to you
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Obstetrics & Gynecology 2008;112:593-597
© 2008 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sato, T.
Right arrow Articles by Ohto, H.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sato, T.
Right arrow Articles by Ohto, H.
Related Collections
Right arrow Abortion
Right arrow Immunology
Right arrow Maternal/fetal physiology

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Microchimerism After Induced or Spontaneous Abortion

Tomoko Sato, MD1, Keiya Fujimori, MD1, Akira Sato, MD1 and Hitoshi Ohto, MD2

From the 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University; and 2Division of Blood Transfusion and Transplantation Immunology, Fukushima Medical University Hospital, Fukushima, Japan.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate fetomaternal microchimerism in women with induced abortion or spontaneous pregnancy loss.

METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 76 healthy women who underwent dilation and curettage in the first trimester but had never had an abortion or male delivery before. Samples were collected at three time points: just before, 7 days after, and 30 days after abortion. Y chromosome–specific, nested polymerase chain reaction targeting the sex-determining region of Y (SRY) was used to test DNA extracted from buffy coat cells. DNA was also extracted from the chorion to determine sex. The sensitivity of our assay allowed detection of approximately one male cell in 100,000 female cells.

RESULTS: Thirty-six male and 40 female chorions were obtained. Male DNA was found in 52.8% of women who had a male chorion before abortion, decreasing to 5.6% at 7 days after abortion. At 30 days after abortion, no male DNA was detected. Male DNA was never detected at any point from women with a female chorion.

CONCLUSION: Fetal cells in the maternal circulation are undetectable 30 days after induced abortion or spontaneous pregnancy loss. Fetal cells may be harbored in maternal organs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2008 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.