Chromosomal abnormalities and birth defects among couples with colchicine treated familial Mediterranean fever.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether colchicine prescribed for familial Mediterranean fever is teratogenic.

STUDY DESIGN: Reproductive histories were analyzed from 326 couples referred for prenatal diagnosis because 1 partner was affected. Numbers of chromosomal abnormalities and birth defects were compared with numbers expected from published rates.

RESULTS: There were 901 pregnancies, and amniocentesis had been performed in 566, all but 3 conceived while taking colchicine. Seven numerical chromosomal abnormalities were found, not statistically significantly greater than the 4.99 expected from maternal age and gestation of diagnosis (P = .24): unbalanced structural abnormalities were 6, compared with 3.22 expected (P = .11). There were 7 birth defects, a considerably lower rate than reported in local malformation registers.

CONCLUSION: The current policy of routine amniocentesis in pregnancies of couples taking colchicine should not be changed until sufficient data accumulates to establish whether the higher number of chromosomal anomalies in this group is significant.