Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome and Infertility

Abstract

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is a systemic, autoimmune, prothrombotic disease characterized by persistent antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs), thrombosis, recurrent abortion, complications during pregnancy, and occasionally thrombocytopenia. The objective of the present study was to review the pathophysiology of APS and its association with female infertility. A bibliographic review of articles of the past 20 years was performed at the PubMed, Scielo, and Bireme databases. Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome may be associated with primary infertility, interfering with endometrial decidualization and with decreased ovarian reserve. Antiphospholipid antibodies also have direct negative effects on placentation, when they bind to the trophoblast, reducing their capacity for invasion, and proinflammatory effects, such as complement activation and neutrophil recruitment, contributing to placental insufficiency, restricted intrauterine growth, and fetal loss. In relation to thrombosis, APS results in a diffuse thrombotic diathesis, with global and diffuse dysregulation of the homeostatic balance. Knowing the pathophysiology of APS, which is closely linked to female infertility, is essential for new therapeutic approaches, specialized in immunomodulation and inflammatory signaling pathways, to provide important advances in its treatment.

Effects of Comprehensive Nursing Based on Orem’s Self-Care Theory on Symptom Improvement and Pregnancy Outcome in Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome: A Retrospective Cohort Study

“…Self-care is an individual's self-care behavior and activities to meet the maintenance of their own life, health function, growth, development, and happiness, which is realized by meeting the existing self-care needs [ 8 ]. In recent years, there have been more investigations and applications on self-care behavior, which have developed rapidly, mainly focused on chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, and hemiplegia [ 9 ]. The results indicate that after self-nursing intervention, patients can master the relevant knowledge of the disease, correctly understand the disease and self-worth, and adapt to various changes caused by illness [ 9 ].…”

“…In recent years, there have been more investigations and applications on self-care behavior, which have developed rapidly, mainly focused on chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, and hemiplegia [ 9 ]. The results indicate that after self-nursing intervention, patients can master the relevant knowledge of the disease, correctly understand the disease and self-worth, and adapt to various changes caused by illness [ 9 ]. Active participation in the treatment and rehabilitation of the disease can enhance the quality of life of patients.…”

Influence of Bushen Tiaochong Cycle Therapy on Th1/Th2 Deviation, Sex Hormone Level, and Pregnancy Outcome of Alloimmune Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion

“…Among them, the former has the highest incidence rate in RAS, accounting for 50%, which is related to the imbalance of maternal-fetal immune tolerance and is defined as unexplained RSA (URSA) [ 4 , 5 ]. The latter is related to pregnant women's autoimmune factors, which is the loss of pregnancy caused by autoimmune diseases [ 6 ]. At present, the normative diagnosis and treatment of RSA has become an important and difficult problem to be solved in the field of reproductive health.…”

A Predictive Role of Autoantibodies Against the Epitope aa168–183 of ENO1 in the Occurrence of Miscarriage Related to Thyroid Autoimmunity

“…It has been reported that euthyroid TAI women have one or more NOSA expressed in their sera ( 47 ). One of the important NOSA related to miscarriage is antiphospholipid Abs (aPLs) ( 48 ). APLs are a family of autoantibodies that recognize various combinations of phospholipids such as cardiolipin, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phospholipid-binding proteins.…”