Intravenous Immunoglobulin G Improves Pregnancy Outcome in Women with Recurrent Pregnancy Losses with Cellular Immune Abnormalities

Abstract

Problem: We investigated the therapeutic effect of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).

Method of study: This was a retrospective observational study. Total 189 RPL women who experienced ≥2 miscarriages were enrolled and investigated conventional etiologies, thrombophilia, and cellular immunity. Patients were divided into four groups; known etiology with (Gr1) and without cellular immune abnormality (Gr2), unknown etiology with (Gr3) and without cellular immune abnormality (Gr4). IVIG was administrated from early pregnancy to 30 weeks of gestation to women with cellular immune abnormality (Gr1 + Gr3).

Results: Cellular immune abnormalities (increased level or cytotoxicity of NK cells and Th1/Th2 ratio) were present in 111 of 189 RPL women (58.7%). Live birth rates of women with and without cellular immune abnormality were not different (Gr1 + Gr3, 84.8% versus Gr2 + Gr4, 89.7%). Furthermore, IVIG success rates were the same between Gr1 and Gr3, those who had cellular immune abnormality. Nevertheless lack of an appropriate control in this study, our IVIG outcome demonstrated better live birth rate compared with those of other investigators.

Conclusion: Treatment modalities stratified by underlying etiologies of RPL may improve pregnancy outcome. Administration of IVIG is likely to have clinical efficacy in RPL women with cellular immune abnormality.

Keywords: Cytokine; intravenous immunoglobulin; natural killer cell; pregnancy outcome; recurrent pregnancy loss.