[Immunological relations between mother and child during pregnancy (author's transl)]

The relations between the maternal and foetal organisms during pregnancy are partly very complicated and remain inexplicable. Blastocyst, trophoblast, embryo and foetus have membrane antigens at a very early stage, and the immunocompetence of the foetus develops already during the second third of the pregnancy period. Many non-specific factors are involved in preventing the castingoff reaction of the foetal organism. The trophoblastic tissue is probably of central importance. The focal point of interest in trophoblast tissue research is probably the testing of the local action of HCG and HPL and perhaps also AFP, as well as the question whether cellular and nuclear fusions occur in the region of the syncytiotrophoblasts and the decidual base, or if leucocyte antibodies can block the HLA antigens or the trophoblastic surface.