Background: A proportion of cases with repeated abortion are caused by chromosomal abnormality in one of the parents. Several studies have been done to determine the role of chromosomal abnormalities in couples with repeated fetal loss in various countries. None of these studies was done in the Arab Peninsula.
Material and methods: Cytogenetic study was done for 193 consecutive Saudi couples who presented with repeated abortion at the King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Results: We found that the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities was not significantly different from that reported worldwide. The nature of those abnormalities and their relation to the obstetric history of cases were discussed.
Conclusion: This study should help physicians working in the region to realize the contribution of chromosomal abnormalities to cases of repeated fetal loss. It should also help in setting priorities of cytogenetic screening in individual cases.