Ultrasonographic findings of pregnancy losses after treatment for recurrent pregnancy loss: intravenous immunoglobulin versus placebo

Abstract

To describe the ultrasonographic findings of pregnancies that terminated in repeat abortion in women participating in an ongoing randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of intravenous (IV) immunoglobulin (Ig) in the treatment of recurrent spontaneous abortion (SA). A prospective descriptive study of ultrasonographic findings of pregnancies from 27 women experiencing repeated recurrent SAs after entry into a clinical trial. Clinical practice at the Genetics & IVF Institute in Fairfax, Virginia. Women experiencing two or more consecutive recurrent SAs received either 500 mg/kg per mo IV Ig or placebo (albumin). To date 90 women have been enrolled in the clinical trial and 52 have achieved pregnancy. The outcome of the 52 pregnancies include 16 deliveries, 9 ongoing pregnancies, and 27 losses. Ultrasonographic examinations performed in 27 women experiencing pregnancy loss are the subject of this study. The frequency of ultrasonographic findings of empty gestation sac (blighted ovum) and intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) is compared between patients receiving IV Ig and placebo. Ultrasonographic findings of the 27 pregnancies losses included 11 blighted ova and 16 IUFDs. Of 11 blighted ova, 8 (73%) were in women receiving IV Ig and 3 (27%) were receiving placebo. Sixteen IUFDs were observed: 3 (19%) in women receiving IV Ig and 13 (81%) in women receiving placebo. Of 11 pregnancy losses occurring in women receiving IV Ig, 8 (73%) were blighted ova, 3 (27%) were IUFDs. Sixteen pregnancy losses occurred in women receiving placebo: 3 (19%) were blighted ova and 13 (81%) were IUFDs. The differences in frequency of blighted ova between IV Ig- and placebo-treated women was significant. IV Ig is not effective in preventing blighted ova and may be effective in preventing IUFDs.