Infections and Pregnancy Loss: Correlation Between Abortion and Silent Infections.

In this study we will analyse chorionic villi derived from abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy (spontaneous abortion vs voluntary pregnancy interruption), in order to correlate the presence of infective viruses/bacteria and the incidence of miscarriage.

The first objective of this project will be to find the viral DNA of HPV, BK and JC polyomaviruses and bacterial DNA of Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma parvum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis in the aborted tissues collected from spontaneous abortions, and to compare the prevalence of these DNAs to those derived from elective specimens.

Acronyms:

DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid HPV: human papillomavirus PCR: polymerase chain reaction HPyV: human polyomavirus PBMC: peripheral blood mononucleated cell BKV: BK polyomavirus JCV: JC polyomavirus

I.Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria

• age of the patients range from 18 to 42 years old;
• gestational age ranging in the first 12 weeks.

Exclusion criteria

• medical history or laboratory tests positive for sexually transmitted diseases (HIV, HBV, HCV, LUE) during the last year;
• Congenital or Acquired Immunodeficiency diseases, or immunosuppressive therapies during the last year;
• Therapeutic abortion (voluntary interruption of pregnancy, law 194 art 6 comma b)
• well known causes responsable for spontaneous abortions such as genetic, severe uterine or hormonal abnormalities and use of teratogenic drugs.