Can luteal phase serum estradiol concentrations predict karyotypes of spontaneous abortions?

Abstract

Low serum estradiol concentrations during pregnancy have been associated with spontaneous abortions. A large proportion of abortuses have chromosomal abnormalities. To determine whether serum estradiol during the luteal phase of conception cycles can predict the karyotype of spontaneous abortions, serum estradiol samples were drawn 11 days after embryo transfer from 52 women who subsequently had spontaneous abortions and chromosomal analysis was performed on the products of conception. The frequency of estradiol levels < 100 pg/ml was compared between normal and abnormal karyotypic spontaneous abortions. Chromosomal analyses among 52 spontaneous abortions revealed 14 (27%) to be normal and 38 (73%) abnormal. Among the 38 karyotypic abnormalities 30 were aneuploidy and eight were polyploidy. Serum estradiol levels were < 100 pg/ml in eight women (15%) and > 100 pg/ml in 44 women (85%). The frequencies of estradiol < 100 pg/ml in spontaneous abortions with normal (7%) and abnormal (18%) karyotypes were not significantly different. Thus, serum estradiol cannot predict the karyotype of spontaneous abortions.