Lymphocyte cytotoxicity assay for predicting preterm delivery of small for date babies.

Cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes, obtained from 84 pregnant women was tested, using human embryonic fibroblast cells as target cells. Lymphocytes of 8 women who delivered small for date babies before term and those of 3 women who had spontaneous abortions were significantly more cytotoxic (p less than 0.001) than lymphocytes of women who delivered small for date babies at term, appropriately grown babies before term, or appropriately grown babies at term. Data suggest that a higher level of in vitro lymphocyte cytotoxic activity of pregnant women forecasts either the preterm delivery of small for date babies or the occurrence of spontaneous abortions.