POSSIBLE IMMUNOLOGICAL BASIS FOR RECURRENT SPONTAPlEOUS ABORTIONS: A REVIEW

Abstract

Buckground: In normal pregnancy, the pregnant mother parada xkdy tolerates the semiallogeneic
foetus until term. Experimental a d clinical data to exp lain such tolerance in man
reflects the involvement of multiple mechanisms.
Objective: To review the data perhikg to the experimental and clinical efforts to explain
why the mother irnmundogically tolerates a semi-allogeneic p q pamy to tern
Design, setting and methods: A review of the literature oo state c b the art thinking among
researchers and clinicians on recurrent spontaneous abortions is summarised.
Results: A large body of recently published data strongly suggest that a breakdown in
immundogical maternal-foetal interactions may lead to oceashll or recurrent foetal loss.
Immunoregulatory activities involving blocking antibodies, lpgulatc try factors, immunological
cells, hormones, structural proteins and cytokines constitute the pregnancy-sustaining
network.
Conclusion: The majority of theevidence reviewed points to the invo vementof immfactors
in successful pregnvrcies However, the underlying mechanisms are inadequately
explained, are largely speculative and require more focused H~vestigatioa A complete
understanding of the meshanisms involved would enhance our q lacity to develop rational
ways of addressing recurrent pregnancy losses.