Polymorphisms in various coagulation genes in black South African women with placental abruption

This pilot study examined Factor V Leiden (R506Q), prothrombin (2021OG --> A), thrombomodulin (A455V) and MTHFR (677C --> T) in 100 Zulu-speaking black South African women with placental abruption and 217 controls. The Factor V Leiden and prothrombin variant gene alleles were not detected in either patient or control groups. The thrombomodulin polymorphic variant was not seen in the patient group but three heterozygotes (1%) were found in the controls. No homozygotes for the MTHFR T677 variant were detected in the patients but two (1%) were noted in the controls; the normal and heterozygote genotype and allele frequencies for this polymorphism were similar in the two groups.