Chromosome aberrations in a large series of spontaneous miscarriages in the German population and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: In a review of the literature in 2000 the different cytogenetic aspects of spontaneous miscarriages were well documented. This review also included the spontaneous miscarriage results of one large German study published in 1990. However, to our knowledge there are no new data on spontaneous miscarriages in the German population. Therefore, the aim of the present retrospective large study was to find out the incidence and types of chromosome aberrations in an unselected series of spontaneous miscarriages in the German population, and whether our more recent results were different to data published previously. In case of culture failure we implemented a quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y. RESULTS: In the present German retrospective study cytogenetic analysis (CA) was attempted on 534 spontaneous miscarriages between weeks 7 and 34 of gestation, being successful in 73% (390/534) of them. Two hundred and thirty-seven of the cases (61%, 237/390) were chromosomally abnormal. Trisomy was the most common chromosome aberration and accounted for 53% (125/237) of the aberrant karyotypes. A multiple aneuploidy was observed in 7% (17/237) of the aberrant karyotypes. Chromosomes 16, 22, 15 and 21 were found most frequently involved in aneuploidies. Fifty-four cases (23%, 54/237) with a polyploidy were found in the present study. Single unbalanced structural chromosome aberrations accounted for 4% (10/237) of the aberrant karyotypes. Eleven samples (5%, 11/237) displayed a variety of numerical and/or structural chromosome aberrations. One hundred and forty-four spontaneous miscarriages (27%, 144/534) failed to grow in culture. A total of 27 cases were analysed by QF-PCR for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y, being informative in all cases. CONCLUSION: In our German retrospective large study of spontaneous miscarriages, the incidence and types of chromosome aberrations by CA are within the reported range of other studies published previously before and after 2000. Therefore, we can conclude that cytogenetic aspects of spontaneous miscarriages have not changed over the years. Additionally 8 of 27 cases (30%) without cell growth showed a numerical chromosome aberration by QF-PCR. Therefore QF-PCR played an important role as a supplementary test when culture failure occurred.