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An unmatched case control study of molar pregnancy was carried out at this hospital between 1978 and 1987 to investigate the influence of maternal age and ethnic group on the incidence of complete and partial hydatidiform mole. The age specific incidence of complete mole was minimal between the ages of 30 and 34 years (relative risk 1), showed a minor peak in teenagers (relative risk 3-1, 95% confidence interval 6-5-1P4), and a major peak in those of 35 years and over. Between 35 and 39 years the relative risk was 2 5 (95% CI 6-2-1 0) and at 40 years or more the relative risk was 9-8 (95% CI 28-9-3-3). No age group showed a significantly increased risk of partial mole.The women of Abu Dhabi had increased risks of both forms of molar pregnancy relative to women in Nottingham, England (relative risk 1): the risk of complete mole was increased threefold (95% CI 42-2-2) and that of partial mole twofold (95% CI 4-0-1-2).The increased risk of complete mole was greatest in Gulf Arabs (mainly Omanis and Yemenis) who had a sixfold increase in crude relative risk (95% CI 10-7-3-5).The increased risks of complete mole associated with maternal ethnic group remained after adjustment for maternal age distribution.

A matched case-control study of the prevalence of maternal serum anti-chlamydia1 IgG and the relation of such antibodies to ectopic pregnancy was examined.The odds ratio for ectopic pregnancy in patients with chlamydial antibodies compared with those without such antibodies was 3.29, 95 per cent confidence level 1.37-9.07. The attributable risk for ectopic pregnancy in those with chlamydial antibodies was 0.70, but the population attributable risk was only 0.25, 95 per cent confidence level, 0.11439. That is, only 25% of the ectopic pregnancies in the population are related to chlamydia1 antibodies.Serological evidence of maternal chlamydial infection is associated with a tripling of the risk of ectopic pregnancy. The population attributable risk suggests that such infections are associated with only a minority of ectopic pregnancies and offer only a partial explanation for the doubling in the incidence of this condition at our hospital.

In a combined retrospective and prospective study of the frequency and morphology of hydatidiform mole in A b u Dhabi between 1978 and 1986, the incidence at A1 Corniche Hospital was 2.02 per 1000 deliveries. Morphological classification showed that complete moles formed 80% of the total.The frequency of hydatidiform mole varies geographically but little is known of its incidence in the Arabian Peninsula (Bracken ef al. 1984) or of the relative frequency of the complete and partial forms.

ObjectiveTo look for a relationship between the maternal age-specific incidence of complete molar pregnancy and the age-specific mid-follicular levels of circulating follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone.DesignCalculation of correlation coefficients between the incidence of complete mole and the circulating levels of follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone using the method of least squares.SettingEngland and Wales.ParticipantsAll mothers between 23 and 49 years delivering in England and Wales between 2000 and 2009 inclusive and a sample of women between 23 and 49 years from Sheffield (1987).Main outcome measuresThe bivariate correlation coefficients between the incidence of complete mole and the mid-follicular plasma levels of the pituitary gonadotrophins.ResultsExponential correlation between the incidence of complete mole and mid-follicular plasma follicle stimulating hormone, r = 0.965, r 2 = 0.932.Linear correlation between the incidence of complete mole and mid-follicular plasma luteinizing hormone, r = 0.972, r 2 = 0.944.Multivariate exponential regression between the incidence of complete mole and the combination of follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormones. This does not improve the prediction of the incidence of complete mole and it shows that luteinizing hormone is not a significant predictor of the incidence of complete mole in the presence of follicle stimulating hormone.ConclusionsThere is a strong positive exponential correlation between the maternal age-specific incidence of complete mole in England and Wales and the age-related mid-follicular levels of follicle stimulating hormone in a sample of English women.