How common is the antiphospholipid syndrome?
Not common. People with conditions known as connective tissue diseases (the most common being systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE) are the ones at greatest risk. These conditions are, however, uncommon. Moreover, the antibodies may be found in women with none of the known connective tissue diseases. These women will be at risk of recurrent miscarriage and will need appropriate treatment during their pregnancies. To add to the complexity of the picture, not all individuals with SLE will have the offending antibodies causing antiphospholipid syndrome. Is anti-phospholipid syndrome responsible for early pregnancy loss only? No. Fetal loss may be in mid-trimester and sometimes late, causing stillbirth. This is why some experts advocate that treatment is maintained throughout the course of the pregnancy. There is, however, no consensus among experts whether that is necessary.
