This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town . Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. This case–control study included a total of 24 patients and 24 control subjects. Recurrent pregnancy loss was defined as women with 3 consecutive first trimester miscarriages or 2 second trimester miscarriages. Patients consisted of non-pregnant women, not using hormonal contraception who suffered from Recurrent pregnancy loss. All patients were recruited from the Reproductive Failure Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, and had no identifiable pathology when screened for known causes of Recurrent pregnancy loss, e.g. anatomical defects, chromosomal abnormalities, endocrinopathies, immunologic and thrombotic pathology.