Second-trimester pregnancy loss is associated with activated C resistance.

We have investigated whether activated protein C resistance (APCR) is associated with second-trimester miscarriage. The prevalence of APCR was significantly higher amongst women with a history of second-trimester miscarriage (10/50; 20%) compared with either women with a history of first-trimester miscarriages only (4/70; 5.7%) or a control group of parous women with no previous history of pregnancy losses (3/70; 4.3%) (P < 0.02). These results suggest that APCR may be an important mechanism of second-trimester pregnancy loss, possibly related to the increase in intravascular coagulation that occurs during pregnancy.