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When a Miscarriage Isn't Nature's Way

A Closer Look at Autoimmune Disorders

Part Two

By Virginia Gilbert

Indeed, three of the four women interviewed for this article have relatives with associated disorders. Kathy's mother and grandmother have rheumatoid arthritis, as did Roberta's great-aunt. Jacqui Ingledew, an APS mom in Kingston, Jamaica, had a cousin with lupus and has a brother with vasculitis, another autoimmune condition.

However, being genetically programmed for APS doesn't mean a woman will necessarily develop the condition. The trigger mechanism that activates APS is unknown. It's possible for a woman to have the APS gene, but go through her whole life without this gene being "turned on."

According to Dr. Seligman, the medical community didn't officially recognize APS until 1983, when the test for the anticardiolipin antibody was developed. Seligman believes that doctors aren't seeing more cases of APS, but instead are more aware of its existence and now have the technology to diagnose it.

Dr. Danzer disagrees, maintaining that we don't know enough about APS to say for sure. He speculates that we could be seeing a rise in the number of APS cases.

"We've only been looking at APS for about 10 years, but I have a feeling it may be happening more often," says Danzer, who suggests that environmental agents such as toxins or immunizations might be the triggers that activate the APS gene.

For most APS moms, the toughest thing about the condition is dealing with the ghosts of past miscarriages. Jacqui Ingledew suffered three first-trimester losses before she was diagnosed with APS.

"I looked for the telltale splotch of blood each time I went to the bathroom," says Jacqui, referring to her two subsequent successful pregnancies. Thanks to her prenatal regime of baby aspirin and heparin, she became the proud mother of two "golden children," Jules and Georgie.

Want to see more?

• Miscarriage and the Millennium
• Be a Wise Consumer in the Booming Fertility Industry
• Trouble Conceiving? Get the Right Medical Care