Reproductive risk of the silent carrier of Robertsonian translocation.

Aim: The aim of this study was the evaluation of risk among the couples various types of Robertsonian translocations.
Methods: Cytogenetic diagnosis has been carried out according to the Moorhead and Seabright method.
Results: Cytogenetics diagnosis was performed in 17 couples having Robertsonian translocations. Among our examined cases, the most frequent (82.3%) cases were with Robertsonian translocations formed by aberrant fusion between heterologous chromosomes 13q and 14q. Three out of seventeen couples affected with Robertsonian translocation 13q;14q suffered from primary infertility. The total number of pregnancy among the couples with Robertsonian translocation has been 45. Of these 80% of pregnancies resulted in spontaneous miscarriages, while 20% of others have gave birth to alive or dead children. In one couple a Robertsonian translocation was caused as a result of fusion of two homologous chromosomes 15q;15q. A patient with this translocation has had 7 pregnancies and all of them ended with abortions.
Conclusion: Robertsonian translocation caused the primary infertility in three couples and lowering reproductive abilities in 14 others. Robertsonian translocation between 15q;15q caused intrauterine death and spontaneous failures of all pregnancies of the carrier with this translocation.