[Immunological aspects of pregnancy]

Abstract

The authors undertake a review of the literature so that they can point out present knowledge of the immunological relationship between mother and fetus. The fetus is a true allograft since it carries paternal antigens. Total harmony occurs so that immunisation of the mother against the feto-placental unit is recognised. This immunological reaction must occur to allow smooth development of the fetus with, at the same time, protection of the mother against trophoblastic invasion. Many regulatory mechanisms are summoned up to bring about this immunological response. While the progress in immunological knowledge has enabled us to glimpse this immunological relationship, it seems strongly probable that knowledge of these mechanisms can have applications outside gynaecology and obstetrics and be of equal value in the interpretation of immunological reactions which are found on oncology and parasitology.