Response to mitogen during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

The influence of pregnancy, pregnancy plasma, and pregnancy-associated lhormones on the response of peripheral blood lymphocytes to two phytomitogens (PHS and PWM) was examined in a group of 17 healthy women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. No consistent disparity between pregnancy, postpartum, and control tests was noted in either intrinsic lymphocyte responsiveness or in the effect of autologous plasma or four pregnancy-associated hormones (estriol, progesterone, hPL, and estradiol-17 beta) on lymphocyte responsiveness.