Pregnancy Outcomes in Grand Multiparity Women With Antiphospholipid Antibodies

Objective

In recent years antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) as well as antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) prevalence has demonstrated an upward trend in women during reproductive age. There is a lack of data concerning its effects on women with grand multiparity (GMP) (parity ≥5). Hence, this study aimed to assess pregnancy outcomes among GMP aPL/APS patients.

Study Design

We retrospectively assembled the births of GMP women with aPL/APS, between 2017 and 2022 in the Sheba Medical Center. We compared their deliveries with those of two control groups: (1) the “aPL/APS-controls”—of pregnant women with aPL/APS and parity <5. (2) The “GMP-controls”- parity ≥5 without aPL/APS. We examined demographics, aPL characteristics, pregnancy, and neonatal outcomes between the groups.

Results

In total, 42 deliveries in the study group were compared to 461 deliveries in the “aPL/APS-controls” group and 84 deliveries of the “GMP-controls.” Most parameters were similar across groups. However, the study group had a higher rate of obstetric APS diagnosis (64.64% vs. 83.33%, p < 0.01) and showed significant differences such as older maternal age, higher BMI, more polyhydramnios cases, and larger babies compared to controls (33.91 vs. 36.19, p = 0.05; 23.2 vs. 28.89, p = 0.02; 3.68 vs. 11.9, p = 0.01; and 2.17 vs. 14.28, p < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusions

Our findings reveal that perinatal outcomes in aPL/APS GMP women are comparable and not inferior to those in aPL/APS women with <5 pregnancies or in comparison to the general GMP population. The minor differences observed may all be related to GMP women's older age and higher BMI.