The immune system in pregnancy: a unique complexity

Placental immune response and its tropism for specific viruses and pathogens affect the outcome of the pregnant woman's susceptibility to and severity of certain infectious diseases. The generalization of pregnancy as a condition of immune suppression or increased risk is misleading and prevent...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of reproductive immunology (1989) 2010-06, Vol.63 (6), p.425-433
Main Authors: Mor, Gil, Cardenas, Ingrid
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Female
Fetuses
Humans
Immune response
Immune System
Infectious diseases
pandemics
Pathogens
Placenta - immunology
Placenta - virology
Pregnancy
Pregnancy - immunology
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - immunology
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - virology
Prophylaxis
Tropism
Virus Diseases - immunology
Virus Diseases - transmission
Virus Diseases - virology
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Summary:Placental immune response and its tropism for specific viruses and pathogens affect the outcome of the pregnant woman's susceptibility to and severity of certain infectious diseases. The generalization of pregnancy as a condition of immune suppression or increased risk is misleading and prevents the determination of adequate guidelines for treating pregnant women during pandemics. There is a need to evaluate the interaction of each specific pathogen with the fetal/placental unit and its responses to design the adequate prophylaxis or therapy. The complexity of the immunology of pregnancy and the focus, for many years, on the concept of immunology of pregnancy as an organ transplantation have complicated the field and delayed the development of new guidelines with clinical implications that could help to answer these and other relevant questions. Our challenge as scientists and clinicians interested in the field of reproductive immunology is to evaluate many of the 'classical concepts' to define new approaches for a better understanding of the immunology of pregnancy that will benefit mothers and fetuses in different clinical scenarios.
ISSN:1046-7408
1600-0897
DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0897.2010.00836.x