Hyperfibrinogenaemia is associated with systemic arterial and venous thromboembolism and therefore may contribute to placental vascular disease associated with obstetric complications. The fibrinogen-raising -455G/A beta-fibrinogen gene polymorphism may enhance the physiological increase in fibrinogen levels during pregnancy and thereby predispose to obstetric complications. This retrospective case-control study looked at the association between the beta-fibrinogen gene polymorphism -455G/A, the hereditary thrombophilic markers factor V Leiden, prothrombin G20210A mutation (PGM) and C677T methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and obstetric complications associated with placental vascular disease. The study group (n = 247) comprised 147 women (90 Caucasian) who met the clinical criteria and a control group of 100 parous women (90 Caucasian) with no history of obstetric or medical complications. No significant differences were observed in the -455A allelic frequencies of the patient and normal control groups, with (allelic frequencies, 0.156 and 0.178, respectively; P = 0.5716, chi2 test, odds ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval = 0.65-2.13) or without (allelic frequencies, 0.129 and 0.170, respectively; P = 0.2077, chi2 test, odds ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval = 0.81-2.35) the exclusion of non-Caucasian women. There was an increased prevalence of factor V Leiden among Caucasian patients compared with normal controls (allelic frequencies, 0.056 and 0.017, respectively; P = 0.048, chi2 test, odds ratio = 0.29, 95% confidence interval = 0.05-1.15) but there were no differences in the prevalences of PGM or MTHFR. These data suggest that factor V Leiden is associated with an increased risk of obstetric complications, but that the -455A allele of beta-fibrinogen, PGM and MTHFR do not appear to be implicated.