Abstract
Female sex hormones significantly increase immunologic responsiveness by stimulating the proliferation of immunocompetent cells. To determine whether the immune response is altered during pregnancy and lactation, Swiss mice(gestation 19-21d) were studied during early, mid and late pregnancy and in the early postpartum (PP) period. Groups of pregnant (PR) and nursing mice along with equal numbers of nonpregnant female littermate controls(C) were injected with 2×106 heat-killed E.coli 0127 and sacrificed 4 days later for enumeration of splenic anti-E.coli plaque-forming cells(PFC). Total PFC/108 spleen cells were analyzed by rank and comparison of results from test and control littermate pairs.
Results indicate that primary immunologic responsiveness is increased during early and mid pregnancy, depressed immediately prior to delivery and normal during lactation. The marked variations observed may be secondary to changes in the balance of female sex hormones and adrenocorticosteroids which occur as pregnancy progresses.
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Diamond, M., Kenny, J. IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSIVENESS DURING PREGNANCY. Pediatr Res 8, 411 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00429
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197404000-00429
