Thrombophilia and stillbirth: possible connection by intrauterine growth restriction.

Objective: To define the association between thrombophilia and unexplained stillbirth.

Design: A case-control study.

Setting: Obstetric department in a university affiliated hospital (Ha'Emek Medical Center, Afula).

Population: A total of 53 women who delivered stillborns between March 1998 and June 2002 and 59 women with unremarkable obstetric history who delivered at the same period.

Methods: Presence of genetic and acquired markers of thrombophilia was investigated.

Main Outcome Measure: Presence or absence of thrombophilia.

Results: Thrombophilia was found in 34% of the women who delivered stillborns and in 20% of the 59 women with normal pregnancies (non-significant). However, significantly higher prevalence of thrombophilia (73%) was found in women who delivered small for gestational age stillborns compared with women who delivered normal birthweight stillborns (73%vs 18.4%, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: There is no association between thrombophilia and stillbirth, overall. However, there is a clear association between thrombophilia and stillbirth of extremely growth restricted infants.