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Updated: May 31, 2026
07:51
Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Anti-HY responses in pregnancy disorders
Ole Bjarne Christiansen1, Rudi Steffensen, Henriette Svarre Nielsen
1The Fertility Clinic 4071, University Hospital Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. rh08636@rh.dk
Summary
Aberrant immune responses to male-specific (HY) antigens in mothers may cause recurrent miscarriage (RM). Women with a history of male births and specific HLA alleles have a lower chance of subsequent live births, suggesting a role for anti-HY immunity in pregnancy complications.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Reproductive Medicine
- Genetics
Background:
- Cellular and humoral immune responses to male-specific (HY) antigens are implicated in graft-versus-host reactions.
- These anti-HY immune responses can be detected in women who have previously given birth to a boy.
- The specific impact of anti-HY immunity on pregnancy outcomes, such as miscarriage, remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on the impact of anti-HY immunity on pregnancy outcomes.
- To investigate the association between anti-HY immunity and the risk of miscarriage, placental abruption, and low birth weight.
- To explore the role of HY antigens and HLA class II alleles in secondary recurrent miscarriage (RM).
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on anti-HY immunity and pregnancy outcomes.
- Analysis of HLA class II alleles in 358 patients with secondary RM and 203 of their children.
- Detection of antibodies against HLA and HY antigens in early pregnancy samples.
- Examination of register-based population data on birth outcomes.
Main Results:
- Women with secondary RM were more likely to have had a boy previously (P<0.0001), and a firstborn boy reduced the chance of a subsequent live birth (P=0.0003).
- HY-restricting HLA class II alleles significantly lowered the chance of live birth in secondary RM patients with firstborn boys compared to firstborn girls (OR: 0.17, P=0.0001).
- Increased prevalence of anti-HLA and anti-HY antibodies was observed in secondary RM patients, particularly those with a firstborn boy, correlating with lower live birth rates and a skewed male/female ratio in subsequent births.
Conclusions:
- Aberrant maternal immune reactions against fetal HY antigens are strongly indicated in secondary RM and other pregnancy complications.
- Proposed pathogenetic pathways suggest a significant role for anti-HY immunity in adverse pregnancy outcomes.
- Findings highlight the clinical relevance of understanding maternal immune responses to HY antigens in reproductive health.
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