Patient's question:
I had 2 biochemical pregnancies last year, and the doctor recommended I undergo lymphocyte immune therapy.Doctor's answer:
Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) in early pregnancy is a common gynecological condition. Women who experience three or more consecutive spontaneous miscarriages are referred to as having habitual abortion. The etiology is relatively complex, and after excluding genetic, anatomical, endocrine, and infectious factors, 40%–80% of cases remain unexplained. In recent years, with the advancement of reproductive immunology research, breakthroughs in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing methods have revealed that HLA and its gene products are highly associated with human pregnancy. Further studies have shown that RSA is related to HLA immune responses. Clinically, HLA-DR antibody (i.e., anti-spouse lymphocyte antibody) testing in RSA patients has revealed a low positive rate.Recommendation: Lymphocyte immunotherapy: Before undergoing lymphocyte immunotherapy, it is essential to screen for genetic diseases of the reproductive system in both partners, sex hormone levels, infertility, subfertility antibodies, and the presence of infections.
Passive immunization first involves the husband's lymphocytes. If the husband is not suitable as an immunogen donor, other healthy males may be selected. Approximately 30 ml of peripheral blood from the donor is collected using heparin anticoagulation. Under sterile conditions, the blood is conventionally separated to extract lymphocytes. After washing the cells three times with physiological saline, a cell suspension with a lymphocyte concentration of (2–4) × 10? cells/ml is prepared, with about 3 ml being used. The cells are administered via intradermal injection at 6–8 o'clock positions on the wife's arm. The procedure is repeated every 2–3 weeks, with 4 sessions constituting one course of treatment. Contraceptive measures should be taken during the treatment process.
Two weeks after the course of treatment, patients with negative HLA-DR antibody results are recommended to undergo another course of immunotherapy until the antibody becomes positive. Positive results should be followed by pregnancy attempts within 6 months. If pregnancy is achieved, a maintenance treatment course should be immediately initiated and continued until around the 16th week of gestation, with close monitoring of early pregnancy symptoms.