Immunology: The effect of serum follicular phase luteinizing hormone concentrations in habitual abortion: correlation with results of paternal leukocyte immunization

A prospective study was carried out on 153 couples with recurrentabortions who desired pregnancy. The object was to determinethe incidence of raised luteinizing hormone (LH) levels; tocompare the outcome of further pregnancies in habitually abortingwomen with and without raised circulating LH concentrations;and to assess whether the efficacy of paternal leukocyte immunizationis affected in the presence of raised LH concentrations. Ofthe 153 women with recurrent abortions (>3) included in thisstudy, 56 (36.6%) had follicular phase serum LH concentrations>10 mIU/ml. Of the 103 pregnancies that were followed prospectively,65 (63.1%) resulted in a birth of a live infant. There was nosignificant relationship between the pregnancy outcome and LHconcentrations. Women who underwent immunization with paternalleukocytes had significantly more live births (75.8%) than thosewho were not immunized (43.6%). However, the live birth ratewas lower after paternal leukocyte immunization in the presenceof raised LH concentrations or a raised LH/follicle stimulatinghormone (FSH) ratio.