Enhanced phagocytosis of mononuclear phagocytes in pregnancy.
The phagocytic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear phagocytes for Staphylococcus epidermis of healthy non-pregnant and pregnant women throughout pregnancy was examined in relation to gestational age. The study included 30 healthy non-pregnant women and 90 healthy pregnant women equally distributed across the three trimesters. Two variables were investigated: the number of mononuclear cells in phagocytosis and the average number of bacteria per monocyte in phagocytosis. As pregnancy progressed a gradual and significant increase was found in the number of monocytes in phagocytosis and a significantly higher proportion of macrophages with six or more bacteria per phagocyte.
D000328:Adult; D002498:Centrifugation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000382:microbiology; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis