Predictors of Pregnancy Outcome in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS)

This study is designed for women who are pregnant, aged between 18 and 45. You would need to be in the early stages of pregnancy – up to 12 weeks for those without specific antibodies, and up to 18 weeks for those who do have certain antiphospholipid antibodies. To be considered, your blood count (specifically hematocrit) needs to be above a certain level.

If you have antiphospholipid antibodies, you would need to have specific levels of these antibodies in your blood to be included. If you don't have these antibodies and are joining as a comparison, you would need to have had at least one successful pregnancy in the past and no history of certain pregnancy losses or positive antiphospholipid antibody tests. You also shouldn't be a smoker or have any medical issues needing ongoing treatment.

Unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to join if you have diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2) before pregnancy, or if you have a known or suspected inherited problem with your immune system called a 'complement deficiency'.

Taking part in this study would involve regular visits to one of the nine main clinical centres throughout your pregnancy. During these visits, the medical team will collect information about your health and your pregnancy. You will also provide blood samples at these regular intervals. These blood samples will be tested for specific proteins and other factors the researchers are interested in. The study is observational, meaning you won't be given any experimental medications; doctors will continue with your usual antenatal care. The specific duration depends on your pregnancy, as you will be followed regularly until delivery and possibly a short time after, allowing researchers to collect crucial information about the outcome.