The role of blocking factors and antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies in the success of pregnancy in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion.

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the role of mixed lymphocyte reaction blocking factors (BF) and complement-dependent antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies on the outcome of pregnancy in unexplained recurrent spontaneous aborters.

DESIGN

A controlled study of immunotherapy in which the treated group was immunized with the husband's or a third party donor's lymphocytes and the control group received autologous lymphocytes.

SETTING

Tertiary care institution.

PATIENTS: Forty-three patients in the control group and 48 patients in the treated group.

INTERVENTION: The before and after immunization levels of BF and antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies were measured.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The existence or changing pattern of BF and antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies levels before and after immunization had no influence on the pregnancy outcome in either group of patients.

CONCLUSION

Neither BF nor antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies is essential for successful pregnancy. They probably reflect the immunological response of the mother to exposure to fetal antigens.