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Background: A proportion of cases with repeated abortion are caused by chromosomal abnormality in one of the parents. Several studies have been done to determine the role of chromosomal abnormalities in couples with repeated fetal loss in various countries. None of these studies was done in the Arab Peninsula. Material and Methods: Cytogenetic study was done for 193 consecutive Saudi couples who presented with repeated abortion at the King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results: We found that the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities was not significantly different from that reported worldwide. The nature of those abnormalities and their relation to the obstetric history of cases were discussed. Approximately 15%-20% of clinically recognizable pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion. Conclusion1,2 The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in those abortions is as high as 50%.3 A modest but clinically important proportion of spontaneous abortions is caused by a balanced chromosomal aberration in one of the parents. [4][5][6][7][8] This results from the production of gametes and embryos with unbalanced chromosome sets.9,10 The clinical consequences of such abnormal gametes include sterility, repeated abortions, and giving birth to malformed children. 11,12Several studies have been done in various countries to determine the contribution of chromosome abnormalities in parents with fetal wastage. 13 To our knowledge, no such studies have been done in the Arabian Peninsula. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and nature of chromosomal aberrations that contribute to the occurrence of repeated abortions in Saudi Arabia. This should assist physicians in Saudi Arabia and other neighboring countries by increasing their awareness of the frequency of cytogenetic abnormalities in cases with repeated abortions. It also provides figures for comparison with other countries and research centers. Materials and MethodsThis study included all Saudi couples with repeated abortions who were referred for cytogenetic studies between December 1994 and December 1998 at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All cases were ascertained to have had two or more spontaneous abortions. Couples who were referred because of having previous children with congenital anomalies and abortions were not included in the study. The obstetric history of couples was either recorded on the request form or retrieved from the files of patients.For routine cytogenetic analysis, 0.3 mL of peripheral blood was incubated in complete lymphocyte culture medium (10% fetal bovine serum in RPMI 1640, with 0.15% phytohemagglutinin and 1% Penstrept in 5% CO 2 incubator at 37°C for three days). Metaphases were harvested by adding colcemid for 20 minutes, followed by hypotonic KCl treatment for 5 minutes and fixation, using standard 3:1 methanol-acetic fixative (all the reagents were from GIBCO Life Technologies Ltd., Paisley, Scotland). The high-resolution study was done by synchronization, using methotrexate (10 -7 M...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a global health concern for women of reproductive age, as 6.5% of women worldwide are affected by this syndrome. PCOS is marked by hyperandrogenism, anovulation, menstrual abnormalities, and polycystic ovaries. Metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are considered to be systemic toxicants/human carcinogens and seem to have devastating effects on humans, even at minimal exposures. One of the probable aetiological factors for PCOS has been identified as oxidative stress. In view of the probable associations among oxidative stress, metal toxicity and PCOS, the present study examined the role of heavy metals in the generation of oxidative stress among females. This prospective study included 106 women (56 women diagnosed with PCOS and 50 women who were not diagnosed with PCOS as control women). There were no significant differences in the sociodemographic characteristics between the two groups except for the irregularity of menses and the presence of acne. The serum As, Cd, Pb, and Hg levels increased and the serum glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels diminished significantly in the PCOS group compared to the control group at P < 0.001. The SOD levels were negatively correlated with the As and Pb levels at P < 0.05. Additionally, the PCOS group exhibited a strong negative correlation between the GSH and As levels (P < 0.01), GSH and Pb levels (P < 0.05) and GSH and Hg levels (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the As levels were positively correlated with increased levels of Cd, Pb and Hg among PCOS women. Significant positive correlations were observed between Pb and Cd and between Cd and Hg at P < 0.001. The outcome of the study provides clear insight into the role of metal-induced oxidative stress, which plays a vital role in the pathophysiology underlying PCOS and suggests the use of these markers as prognostic tools to reduce the consequences of high-risk exposure to these metals among females.