Decreased levels of circulating CD4+ T lymphocytes during normal human pregnancy

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) populations during human pregnancy have been investigated by many authors, although the different results obtained, principally in relation to T cells, are very discrepant. In this study we aimed to exclude all the possible causes of these discrepancies: small sample size; diurnal rhythm of CD4+ T cells; smoking habits; haemodilution which occurs during pregnancy and inappropriate statistical analysis; in order to determine whether gestation has a definite effect on PBMC populations. We found that the percentage of CD4+ T lymphocytes decreases in the first and second trimesters, returns to the non-pregnant level in the third trimester and remains there in the postpartum period. The percentages of CD3+ T lymphocytes run parallel to those of CD4+ while CD8+ T lymphocytes do not vary. The proportion of CD16+ cells, which include mature NK cells, diminishes in the second trimester and this reduction is maintained in the third trimester and the puerperium. No variation was found in the other PBMC studied (CD20+ lymphocytes, CD14+ monocytes and D/DR+ cells). When parity was considered no difference was seen between primiparous and multiparous women in any of the cell populations tested.