Scientists develop method to combat maternal immune system
Friday 22nd July 2011
Scientists have identified the underlying mechanisms that make pregnant women more susceptible to infection than they would usually be.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School investigated the physiologic immune suppression seen in pregnant women, according to research published in journal Cell Host & Microbe.
During pregnancy, immune suppressing cells, or regulatory T cells, increase in order to protect the baby from attack by the mother's immune system.
Due to this focus on the infant, pregnant women are left less protected than usual, meaning they cannot always stave off infections caused by bacteria such as Listeria and Salmonella.
Dr Sing Sing Way, of the university, developed a method to dissociate the beneficial and detrimental effects of the increase in regulatory T cells during pregnancy.
He said: "Our findings ... uncover a potential immune-based therapy that can broadly boost resistance against infections during pregnancy without compromising pregnancy outcome."
In other news, indulging in a high-fat diet during pregnancy could increase the chance of giving birth to a stillborn infant, according to research published in journal Endocrinology.
Written by Mathew Horton
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