title: [The management of unexplained recurrent abortions. Is immunotherapy an option?].
abstract: Recurrent abortions, defined as more than three consecutive pregnancy losses, are associated with genetic, anatomic and endocrine causes. Whenever investigations fail to detect a cause, immunological dysfunctions are incriminated. The paper shortly reviews the main causes, investigation protocols and immune therapeutic attempts that have been made. Active immunization with allogenic leukocytes or trophoblastic membranes, passive immunization with intravenous immunoglobulins and immunomodulation with glucocorticoids in unexplained recurrent abortions generated contradictory results and was banned by reproductive immunology scientists as empirical, risky for the mother and harmful for the fetus. Confronted with desperate couples, clinicians use the immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes or intravenous immunoglobulins in healthy women with unexplained recurrent abortions or in cases where accepted therapies failed.
authors.affiliation: Institutul de Sănătate Publică Iaşi, Universitatea de Medicina si Farmacie Gr T Popa Iaşi.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Constantinescu
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cozmei
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dumitraşcu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carasevici
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors