A practical approach to the prevention of miscarriage: part 2--active immunotherapy

To present data suggesting that active immunization with lymphocyte immunotherapy is a treatment that has benefit in preventing miscarriage.

Lymphocyte immunotherapy is given to women with a history of recurrent miscarriage or failure to achieve a successful pregnancy, despite several previous embryo transfers. Active immunization was combined with progesterone therapy. The lymphocytes were not refrigerated, but used fresh.

Compared to controls, i.e., progesterone therapy alone, the injection of paternal lymphocytes intradermally improved miscarriage rates and improved live delivered pregnancy rates per embryo transfer.

The addition of progesterone treatment may act synergistically with lymphocyte immunotherapy, especially in primary aborters and tertiary aborters. However, it is important to use fresh--not refrigerated--stored lymphoctes.