Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: A Cross-Sectional Study Exploring Risk Factors in Babylon, Iraq

Abstract Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), affecting 2%–4% of couples, is a common challenge in obstetrics. Objectives: This study investigated risk factors for RPL in Iraqi women, acknowledging the variations in how different organizations define RPL. Materials and Methods: The researchers conducted a case–control study involving 80 women: 40 with confirmed RPL and 40 healthy controls. The cases were recruited from those who attended the outpatient clinics and the emergency department of Babylon Maternity and Pediatric Teaching Hospital. The study compared characteristics between the groups, including anthropometric data (body measurements), medical and obstetric history, blood tests (fasting glucose and insulin and insulin resistance), and ultrasound examinations. Results: While there was no significant age difference between the RPL and control groups, parity differed greatly. Nearly all controls had prior live births, whereas most RPL cases did not. Interestingly, the study found that women with RPL had a higher body mass index compared to the control group, suggesting a link between obesity and RPL. This association was further strengthened by the finding of higher fasting insulin levels and a greater prevalence of moderate-to-severe insulin resistance in the RPL group. However, there was no statistically significant connection between blood sugar levels and RPL. Conclusion: The study’s findings support the association between nulliparity, obesity, and insulin resistance with RPL in Iraqi women. The underlying reasons for how insulin resistance might be linked to RPL need further investigation. The researchers emphasize the importance of larger studies to confirm these observations and explore potential preventive strategies. While the study provides valuable insights, the relatively small sample size limits the generalizability of the results, and the case–control design cannot definitively establish cause-and-effect relationships between the identified factors and RPL.