Y chromosome length related to fetal loss

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Abstract
The Y/20 ratio (length of Y chromosome/length of chromosome 20) was examined among 216 males, 108 of whose wives had a history of repeated abortions (study group), and 108 who were mentally retarded (controls). There was no significant difference in frequency of long Y (Y/20 .gtoreq. 1) between the study group and controls. There was the expected male: female ratio among normal living children of couples in the study group, and the Y/20 ratio was not significantly increased among fathers with abnormal male offspring. Wives of long Y males were more likely to have at least one abnormal male birth, compared with other wives (this approached statistical significance, P < 0.08). A significantly higher frequency of long Y was found in a subset of affected males whose wives had 2 or more spontaneous abortions plus some other abnormal pregnancy outcome. Although the findings reported here do not strongly support a causal relationship, they at least suggest an association between long Y chromosome and abnormal fetal development.