[Initial trials in the treatment of feto-maternal alloimmunization in the Rhesus system with oral administration of erythrocyte antigens].

A group of 14 pregnant women with severe Rh-iso-immunization were treated by the administration of oral antigens (stromas). The aim of the treatment was to try to induce a modification of the immune response of these patients in order to minimize the fetal or neonatal consequences of their Rh-iso-immunization. The progress and outcome of the treated pregnancies are compared with those of a group of women presenting an Rh-iso-immunization of comparable severity treated according to standard methods. Stroma therapy is found to be without any danger for the mother or fetus. Even though there are 9 surviving infants in the treatment group and only 5 in the control group, the analysis of the results does not show any statistically significant difference in the two series. The results of this preliminary study would seem to justify the creation of a therapeutic trial.