Moghaddamy Tabrizi N, Mirzaei M, Eazadi Mood N,
Volume 63, Issue 4 (13 2005)
Abstract
Background: In 2-4% of couples in fertile ages, recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) occurs which consisted one out of 300 pregnancies. The aim of this study was to comparison insulin resistance (IR) in patients with RPL to normal individuals.
Materials and Methods: In a case-controlled, prospective study, 49 non-pregnant, non-diabetic women with early RPL as the case group and 49 non-pregnant, non-diabetic women without RPL who had at least one live infant as the control group, and were matched by age, weight, and height, were enrolled. In both groups fasting insulin and glucose levels were measured and insulin resistance, which was defined as a fasting insulin (FI) level ≥20 microU/mL or a fasting glucose to insulin ratio (FGI ratio) of <4.5, was calculated.
Results: The RPL and control groups were similar with respect to age, BMI, fasting glucose levels and glucose to insulin ratios. FI was significantly higher in RPL group than control group (15.20±5.82 vs. 12.23±5.64 microU/mL). Also the frequency of patients with high FI (FI≥20µU/ml) in RPL group was significantly higher than in control group (22.45% vs. 6.12%, Odds Ratio=4.44, Confidence Interval 95%=1.15-17.07). Among the RPL group, 24.49% demonstrated insulin resistance, whereas only 8.16% of the matched controls were insulin resistant (Odds Ratio=3.65, Confidence Interval 95%=1.08-12.26). The RPL and control groups had similar in frequency of low FGI ratio. Also there was no significant difference between mean of FGI ratio in patients with fewer than 12 weeks miscarriage compared to over 12 weeks in RPL group.
Conclusion: Women with RPL have a significantly increased prevalence of insulin resistance when compared with matched fertile controls. It's recommended that in all women with RPL the glucose and insulin measurement should be carried.