Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) are a heterogeneous group of antiphospholipid antibodies associated with recurrent arterial and venous thrombosis, recurrent pregnancy loss and thrombocytopenia.We determined the seroprevalence and role of aCL as a risk factor for thromboembolic disease and their effects on pregnancy outcome.This study had two components 1) A case-control study in which aCL were measured in young women with venous thromboembolism (VTE), Stroke (CVA) or myocardial infarction (MI) arnd in age-matched controls.(2) A prevalence survey of aCL and pregnancy outcome among primiparae.Serum samples were assayed for both β2 glycoprotein 1 dependent and β2 glycoprotein 1 independent aCL using enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).