Skip to main content
Log in

Maternal immunization by husband's leukocytes for repeated fetal death associated with mild pre-eclampsia — case report with successful outcome

  • Case Reports
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

We report a case of repeated fetal death at 31 gestational weeks associated with mild non-proteinuric pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation. After double intradermal immunisation with paternal leukocytes, a third pregnancy proceeded uneventfully until it ended at 38 weeks. Maternal anti-paternal blocking antibody activity was assessed by the erythrocyte antibody inhibition (EAI) test. Serologic testing revealed that the couple did not share HLA class I antigens. The mechanisms underlying the likely benefit from immunotherapy are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Need JA, Bell B, Meffin E, Jones WR (1983) Pre-eclampsia in pregnancies from donor inseminations. J Reprod Immunol 5:329–338

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Feeney JG, Scott JS (1980) Pre-eclampsia and changed paternity. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 11:35–38

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Klonoff-Cohen HS, Savitz DA, Cefalo RC, McCann MF (1989) An epidemiologic study of contraception and pre-eclampsia. JAMA 262:3143–3147

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Marti JJ, Herrmann U (1977) Immunogestosis: a new etiologic concept of “essential” gestosis, with special consideration of the primigravid patient. Am J Obstet Gynecol 128:489–493

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Beer AE (1989) Immunology, contraception, and pre-eclampsia. JAMA 262:3184

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Feeney JG, Tovey LAD, Scott JS (1977) Influence of previous blood-transfusion on incidence of pre-eclampsia. Lancet I:874–875

    Google Scholar 

  7. Campbell DM, MacGillivray I, Carr-Hill R (1985) Pre-eclampsia in second pregnancey. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 92:131–140

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Nelson TR (1955) Clinical study of pre-eclampsia. J Obstet Gynecol Br Emp 62:48–66

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Power DA, Mason RJ, Stewart GM, Catto GRD, MacLeod AM, Stewart KN (1983) The fetus as an allograft: evidence for protective antibodies to HLA-linked paternal antigens. Lancet II:701–703

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hinney B, Neumeyer H (1991) Immunotherapy for prophylaxis of abortion. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 51:15–22

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Mowbray JF, Liddell H, Underwood JL, Gibbings C, Reginald PW, Beard RW (1985) Controlled trial of treatment of recurrent spontaneous abortion by immunisation with paternal cells. Lancet I:941–943

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sargent IL, Wilkins T, Redman CWG (1988) Maternal immune responses to the fetus in early pregnancy and recurrent miscarriage. Lancet II: 1099–1104

    Google Scholar 

  13. Hinney B, Günther E, Kuhn W (1989) Detection of blocking factors during pregnancy. Arch Gynecol Obstet 245:165–166

    Google Scholar 

  14. Cooper DW, Hill JA, Chesley LC, Bryans CI (1988) Genetic control of susceptibility to eclampsia and miscarriage. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 95:644–653

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Chesley LC, Cooper DW (1986) Genetics of hypertension in pregnancy: possible single gene control of pre-eclampsia — eclampsia in the descendents of eclamptic women. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 93:898–908

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Kilpatrick CD, Gibson F, Livingston J, Liston WA (1990) Pre-eclampsia is associated with HLA-DR4 sharing between mother and fetus. Tissue Antigens 35:178–181

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Christiansen OB, Mathiesen O, Grunnet N, Jersild C, Lauritsen JG (1990) Is there a common genetic background for pre-eclampsia and recurrent spontaneous abortions? Lancet I:361–362

    Google Scholar 

  18. Labarrere CA, Althabe OH (1986) Primary chronic abortion, pre-eclampsia, idiopathic intrauterine growth retardation, hydatiform mole, and choriocarcinoma: a unifying concept. Am J Reprod Immunol Microbiol 10:156–157

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Reginald PW, Beard RW, Chapple J, Forbes PB, Liddell HS, Mowbray JF, Underwood JL (1987) Outcome of pregnancies progressing beyond 28 weeks gestation in women with a history of recurrent abortion. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 94:643–648

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Saling E, Malchus R, Hoppe I (1983) Prevention of fetal growth retardation by buffy-coat transfusions — a case report. J Perinat Med 11:255–257

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Sargent IL, Redman CWG, Stirrat GM (1982) Maternal cell-mediated immunity in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancy. Clin Exp Immunol 50:601–609

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Labarrere CA, Althabe OH, Caletti D, Muscolo E (1986) Deficiency of blocking factors in intrauterine growth retardation and its relationship with chronic villitis. Am J Reprod Immunol Microbiol 10:14–19

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Mowbray JF, Underwood JL, Michel M, Forbes PB, Beard RW (1987) Immunisation with paternal lymphocytes in women with recurrent miscarriage. Lancet II:679–680

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Steck, T., Westphal, E. & Würfel, W. Maternal immunization by husband's leukocytes for repeated fetal death associated with mild pre-eclampsia — case report with successful outcome. Arch Gynecol Obstet 252, 103–107 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02389636

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02389636

Key words

Navigation