Immunologic Causes of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

a blog by Joseph A. Hill, III, MD, Fertility Centers of New England, September 1, 2010

Our immune systems evolved to protect us from non-self, genetically different tissue, also known as allogenic tissue. Immunity can be either innate (inborn) or adaptive (acquired) depending on the molecule that causes an immune response, also known as the antigen.

An immune response involves the production of antibodies (a humoral response) or soluble proteins called cytokines (a cellular response). Potential immune-mediated causes of recurrent pregnancy loss are controversial.

It is important to realize that a successful pregnancy does not depend on a woman having an intact, fully functioning immune system. We know this because both people and laboratory animals incapable of making antibodies (humoral immunity) can have successful pregnancies. Similarly, successful births can also be accomplished in women with severe immune deficiencies and in laboratory animals that lack the capability of making either a humoral or cellular immune response.

The immunologic theory that has been linked to recurrent pregnancy loss is antiphospholipid syndrome, which involves antiphospholipid antibodies, particularly anticardiolipin antibodies. Whether the syndrome is causative, coincidental or a consequence of pregnancy loss remains controversial. How pregnancy loss occurs in cases involving anticardiolipin antibodies is thought to be related to thromobosis or clotting of blood vessels in the placenta.

Antiphospholipid syndrome is not a cause of infertility or early first trimester losses.Pregnancy loss in such cases generally occurs after the first trimester, with the average time of loss being 20 weeks of gestation.

Other immune theories involving cellular immunity have been proposed, but remain less well studied. It has been suggested that the immunosuppressive effects of progesterone within the uterus at the maternal-fetal interface are at least partially responsible for the immunologic acceptance of the genetically different fetus.

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Comments

my problems with blood

Permalink Submitted by villa on Wed, 08/17/2011 - 11:22pm

my problems with blood clotting started when i was 21 yrs old and had my first miscarriage of what ended up being my 1st of 4 miscarriages. The doctors could not find out why since i had given birth to 1 child at the age of 18 with no problems. Thank god for my last doctor who said that there had to be a problem it was not normal for me to have a miscarriage exactly when i was reaching my 8th week of pregnacy. He finally told me that i had anticaridiolipin which at that time i was young and all i new was that my blood would clot every time i became pregnant. The doctor then started me on a treatment the next time i became pregnant and i am so thankful he cared enough because with his treatment of 1 baby asparin and herpin shots (dosage was prescribed based on my case) daily I now have a 17yr old son and a 13 yr old son. If my doctor had not researched my pregnacy to find out what was causing my miscarriages my life would be different with out my children. I am so glad that reserach is still being done to help women who suffer from this problem because to me 1 miscarriage is more than enough for doctors to start considering all options to find out what is wrong and not make women suffer of going through so many miscarriages like i did just because i was young and healthly i would be told it was just not ment to be for my pregnacy to go to full term.