Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Changes in lymphocyte subsets during normal pregnancy

M Kühnert1, R Strohmeier, M Stegmüller

  • 1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Frankfurt/Main, Germany.

European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology
|March 3, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Towards a farmer-feasible soil health assessment that is globally applicable.

Journal of environmental management·2023
Same author

S3-Guidelines for the Treatment of Inflammatory Breast Disease during the Lactation Period: AWMF Guidelines, Registry No. 015/071 (short version) AWMF Leitlinien-Register Nr. 015/071 (Kurzfassung).

Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde·2014
Same author

Multimode dynamics and emergence of a characteristic length scale in a one-dimensional quantum system.

Physical review letters·2013
Same author

Relaxation and prethermalization in an isolated quantum system.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2012
Same author

Complementary and alternative medications consumed by patients with head and neck carcinoma: a pilot study in Germany.

Nutrition and cancer·2012
Same author

[Procedures for Swine flu in the clinical routine of a level 1 perinatal centre].

Zeitschrift fur Geburtshilfe und Neonatologie·2010
Same journal

Comparing effectiveness of sacrospinous hysteropexy to vaginal hysterectomy with sacrospinous ligament fixation.

European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology·2026
Same journal

Rehabilitation strategies in post menopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology·2026
Same journal

Updated structured report for dynamic ultrasonography in patients with suspected or known endometriosis: Recommendations of the international society for gynecologic endoscopy (ISGE).

European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology·2026
Same journal

Clinicopathologic prognostic factors and the role of adenomyosis in endometrial cancer: A 25-year single-center experience.

European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology·2026
Same journal

Mid-pregnancy cervical length and pregnancy outcomes in nulliparous and low-risk multiparous singleton pregnancies: A prospective cohort study (the Quadruple P Screening Study).

European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology·2026
Same journal

Major postpartum haemorrhage in nulliparous women stratified by induction and augmentation of labour and mode of birth from 2000 -2024: a population-based cohort study in the Netherlands.

European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology·2026
See all related articles

Pregnancy alters immune cell counts, notably increasing activated T cells like HLA-DR+ and CD56+ cells, especially in early pregnancy. Other immune cell populations, including B cells and NK cells, showed minimal changes during gestation and postpartum.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Reproductive Science

Background:

  • The maternal immune system undergoes significant adaptations during pregnancy to accommodate fetal development.
  • Understanding these immunological shifts is crucial for maternal and fetal health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
  • To compare immune cell profiles of pregnant women with age-matched non-pregnant controls.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy pregnant women and non-pregnant controls.
  • Flow cytometry was used to quantify T lymphocyte subsets (CD4+, CD8+), B cells, and activated T cells (HLA-DR+, CD56+).
  • White blood cell counts and Natural Killer (NK) cell levels were also assessed.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Total white cell count was significantly elevated in pregnant and postpartum women compared to controls.
  • A slight increase in the absolute number and percentage of T lymphocytes was observed during pregnancy, with minimal changes in B cells.
  • Significant increases in HLA-DR+ and CD56+ activated T cells were noted, particularly in the first trimester, with a slight decrease in later stages.
  • No significant changes were found in CD4+/CD8+ ratios, NK cells, or IL-2 receptor positive T lymphocytes.

Conclusions:

  • Pregnancy is associated with significant alterations in specific immune cell populations, particularly activated T cells.
  • These immune changes are most pronounced in early pregnancy and normalize postpartum.
  • The study highlights the dynamic nature of the maternal immune system during gestation.