[Immunological aspects of premature termination of pregnancies]

In the presented article we report hypotheses, opinions and confirmed results of investigations concerning immunological mechanisms, that play a role in the physiological pregnancy maintenance, natural reproduction failure and artificial reproductive techniques (ART) as well as abilities to diagnose immunological disorders. We pointed the important role of histocompatibility antigens such are class I and class II major histocompatibility antigens with their soluble forms (HLA-I; HLA-II), DQ-alpha and DQ-beta alleles as well as non classic antigens: HLA-G, HLA-C, HLA-E, in modulation of cellular and humoral response, which represent potential alloimmunological mechanism for pregnancy losses. The accurate report of immunological mechanism for recurrent spontaneous abortions caused by maternal production of phospholipid antibodies in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) or other antibodies implicated as etiological factors in reproductive autoimmune failure syndrome (RAFS) has been demonstrated. We present the utility of identification of, so-called, reproductive immunophenotype, where an increase of some serum lymphocyte subpopulations anticipating pregnancy loss is frequently observed. In the study we describe recommendations and diagnostic capabilities for detection of immunological disturbances in patients undergoing evaluation for repeated pregnancy loss, which could be helpful in choosing the form of therapy.