Candidate Gene Study of Genetic Thrombophilic Polymorphisms in Pre-eclampsia and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss in Sinhalese Women

Aim: Genetic thrombophilias are known to contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Studies in Western populations show that 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T and Factor V (F5) 1691G>A (Leiden) polymorphisms are commonly associated with pre-eclampsia and recurrent spontaneous pregnancy loss. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of MTHFR 677C>T (rs1801133); 1298A>C (rs1801131) and F5 1691G>A (rs6025); 4070A>G (rs1800595) polymorphisms with pre-eclampsia and recurrent pregnancy loss among Sinhalese women in Sri Lanka.

Material And Methods: Genotype and allele frequencies at each polymorphic site in the MTHFR and F5 genes and the haplotypes defined by them were determined in 175 Sinhalese women with pre-eclampsia, 171 normotensive controls, 200 Sinhalese women with two or more recurrent pregnancy losses and 200 controls with two or more living children and no pregnancy losses. Genotyping was done by polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism. Odds ratios and χ(2) -testing were performed to compare genotype/haplotype frequencies at each polymorphic site for both cases and controls.

Results: The genotype frequencies at each polymorphic site in the MTHFR 677C>T; 1298A>C; F5 1691G>A and 4070A>G genes and the haplotypes defined by them were not significantly associated with either pre-eclampsia or recurrent pregnancy loss. There was no significant association of genetic thrombophilia with either early or late pregnancy losses.

Conclusions: The MTHFR and F5 polymorphisms and the haplotypes defined by them were not significantly associated with either pre-eclampsia or recurrent pregnancy loss in this group of Sinhalese women.