Do You Have Sticky Blood (APS) and Can it Affect Fertility?

Here at Creation Acupuncture, we’re dedicated to exploring all the conditions that can affect fertility, some of which are well known, others which are more obscure. If you’re struggling to conceive, it’s important to explore all possible reasons, including those affecting your physical and mental health. 

If you’re suffering from repeated miscarriages or issues with implantation, one area to look at is what’s known as ‘sticky blood’. 

What is APS or Sticky Blood?

APS (antiphospholipid syndrome) is when the body produces antiphospholipid antibodies that interfere with normal blood clotting. This syndrome causes the immune system to make the blood more prone to clotting, which is why it is often referred to as ‘sticky blood’.

The good news is it can be effectively treated to improve the chances of an implantation being successful and reduce the risk of miscarriage or complications with your pregnancy. 

But the first step? The condition needs to be identified via blood tests.

Could You be at Risk of APS?

Signs of having elevated antiphospholipid antibodies include:

• A history of implantation failure/negative pregnancy tests

• Unexplained issues with fertility 

• A history of miscarriage

• IVF implantation failure especially after PGTA tested embryos were chromosomally normal and/or you produced an ample amount of eggs/blastocysts. 

• Previous problems in pregnancies such as pre-eclampsia

• A Chinese Medicine Diagnosis of Blood Stasis (heavy periods, blood clots in menstrual bleed, dark blood, brown spotting, strong period pain, fibroids or endometriosis)

What Types of Antibodies are Related to APS? 

Normally, antibodies protect against germs. In APS, the immune system mistakenly produces antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), including:

• Lupus anticoagulant

• Anticardiolipin antibodies  (IgG, IgM)

• Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I antibodies (IgG, IgM)

They can be related to:

• Implantation failure

• Recurrent miscarriages

• Pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia

• APS can cause low platelets (thrombocytopenia)

How Do You Test for APS?

APS blood tests can be requested from your fertility specialist or IVF clinic. If you are trying to conceive naturally, you can obtain APS blood tests from the NHS if you have had 3 miscarriages, since it forms a part of the recurrent miscarriage testing procedure. 

In order for APS to be diagnosed, you usually need two blood tests at least 12 weeks apart. However, most fertility specialists will treat the antibodies if one or more of them are elevated, even without repeat testing.

If you wish to source these test privately, the following clinics are available in the local area: 

One Day Tests, Edgbaston, Birmingham:

• Anticardiolipin antibodies IgG and IgM £110

• Lupus anticoagulant £150

Randox Health, Birmingham

Each antibody test needs to be ordered separately at this clinic, since prices are not published on their website. However, it is likely to be around £250 for the full panel.

Below are the main blood tests used to check for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and how they may affect fertility.

1. Lupus Anticoagulant

This blood test looks for antibodies that can interfere with the normal blood-clotting process. These antibodies can make blood more likely to clot, which may increase the risk of pregnancy complications.

Results are reported as positive or negative.

2. Anticardiolipin Antibodies

This test checks for antibodies that target a substance called cardiolipin, which plays a role in how blood clots.

The results are usually reported in two types of antibodies:

• IgG

• IgM

3. Anti-Beta 2 Glycoprotein Antibodies

This test looks for antibodies that target a protein in the blood called beta-2 glycoprotein I, which helps regulate clotting.

Like the anticardiolipin test, results are measured as:

• IgG

• IgM

What are the Different Levels of APS?

Specialists often categorise patients based on antibody pattern:

• Single positive – one antibody type

• Double positive - two antibody types

• Triple positive - all three antibody types

Triple positive APS would include positive antibodies tests for lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin and anti beta glycoprotein. This is the highest clotting risk.

Even if you have a single positive result, you may be given treatment to support an implantation from your fertility specialist.

How Does APS Affect Fertility?

1. Recurrent Miscarriages

This is the most common issue with APS. Miscarriages typically occur after 10 weeks, but can happen earlier. This is because clots can form in the placental blood vessels, preventing oxygen and nutrients from reaching the embryo.

Doctors often test for APS after 2–3 unexplained miscarriages.

2. Implantation Failure

APS antibodies may interfere with the implantation of the embryo in the uterus.

This can lead to repeated IVF implantation failure and difficulties with very early pregnancy.

The antibodies may affect the uterine lining, placental development, and early embryo blood supply.

3. Early Pregnancy Loss

APS increases the risk of:

• Chemical pregnancies- very early miscarriages that happen shortly after a fertilised egg implants in the womb, usually before five weeks of pregnancy.

• Very early miscarriage

4. Placental Problems

Even when pregnancy progresses normally at first, APS increases risk of:

• Placental insufficiency

• Restricted foetal growth

• Premature birth

• Stillbirth

5. Pregnancy Complications

APS is strongly linked to:

• Preeclampsia

• Placental abruption

• Blood clots such as Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Remember, APS Can Be Treated

Treatment for most people with APS often leads to successful pregnancies. Your fertility specialist is likely to prescribe:

• Low-dose aspirin

• Blood thinning injections such as heparin or clexane

These medications reduce clotting in the placenta and success rates with treatment are high.

Other Immune Tests for Fertility

Here are some other reproductive immunology tests that your clinic may request that you get in addition to the APS blood panel:

Level 1 Immunology Testing – Basic Autoimmune Screening

Level 1 immunology testing looks for underlying autoimmune conditions that may affect fertility, implantation, or pregnancy. Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues.

Typical tests in this screening panel include:

• Anti-Nuclear Antibodies (ANA) This test checks for antibodies that can indicate general autoimmune activity in the body. A positive result may suggest an underlying autoimmune condition.

• Extractable Nuclear Antigen Antibodies (ENA) This test looks for specific autoimmune antibodies linked to certain autoimmune diseases, helping doctors identify the type of immune response present.

• Anti-dsDNA Antibodies This is a more specific antibody test often used to help diagnose certain autoimmune conditions.

• Complement Levels (C3 and C4) Complement proteins are part of the immune system and help fight infection. Low levels can sometimes indicate that the immune system is actively being used or consumed, which may happen in some autoimmune conditions.

• Rheumatoid Factor (RF) This test checks for antibodies associated with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that can affect joints and overall immune activity.

• Thyroid Antibodies (Anti-TPO and Anti-Thyroglobulin) These tests look for antibodies that attack the thyroid gland and may indicate autoimmune thyroid disease, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Thyroid health is important for fertility and maintaining a healthy pregnancy.

Level 2 Immunology Testing – Natural Killer (NK) Cell Testing

• Level 2 immunology testing may include an assessment of Natural Killer (NK) cells, a type of immune cell that helps protect the body from infections.

• NK cells are an important part of the immune system, but in some cases they may become overactive and affect embryo implantation.

• Testing NK cells can help doctors understand whether immune activity may be playing a role in recurrent implantation failure or repeated pregnancy loss.

• For a more detailed explanation, see our related guide: Are Your Natural Killer Cells Preventing Implantation?

  
  

These further immunology tests (level 1 and level 2) require a different medication to elevated APS antibodies. Have a look at the above article for more information.

I hope this helps if you think that you might need to explore this area of fertility and seek treatment.

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