Immunity

Question 1

Why does the immune system change in pregnancy

Answer 1

Paternal antigens are expressed on fetal cells from 8-cell stage, which alerts the maternal immune system of a foreign body, risking rejection.
So the immune system must adapt to avoid rejection.

Question 2

How does it change starting with the decidua

Answer 2

Local changes in the decidua, high levels of progesterone, corticosteroids, and/or HCG act on the uterus to stop it rejecting the fetal cells.

Question 3

How do the immune cells change in the decidua

Answer 3

High levels of natural killer cells, macrophages, and regulatory T cells

Question 4

How does it change starting with progesterone

Answer 4

Rising levels of progesterone cause a natural suppression in immunity

Question 5

How does it change starting with white cell count

Answer 5

Increasing oestrogen causes the white cell count. Especially during labour

Question 6

Examples of infectious diseases

Answer 6

Listeriosis
Toxoplasmosis
Salmonella
all can result in miscarriage and stillbirth

Question 7

rhesus status and anti d applied to practice

Answer 7

blood grouping and antibody screen, ABO, RhD and pr