[Non-specific immunological depression in pregnancy].

The inhibitory effect of maternal plasma on in vitro lymphocyte responses shows that non specific inhibitory factors appear in early pregnancy. During the last decade the surge of interest in pregnancy proteins accompagnied by the advancement in immunological methodology has led to the isolation and characterization of these inhibitory factors. These pregnancy associated proteins play an important role in survival of the foetal allograft. It is significant that low plasma levels of inhibitory factors in early pregnancy are detected in women in whom spontaneous abortion occur.