Page 13 - ESHRE2019

1.Maternal immune response to
pathogens during pregnancy
Pregnant women have higher mortality due to viral infections when compared with the general population, but the reason for the increased susceptibility is not well defined. The maternal immune response can be beneficially or detrimentally affected by pregnancy, depending on the environmental conditions and the stage of the pregnancy. It is well established that the immunological changes associated with pregnancy can result in the amelioration of some autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, but can also increase the severity systemic lupus. Response to vaccine is not negatively affected by pregnancy.
2. Maternal immune response to pathogens during pregnancy
Pregnant women have higher mortality rates associated with varicella, which is 10 times more likely complicated by pneumonia during pregnancy. They are more susceptible to rubeola and the infection is more likely to cause death. During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, pregnant women developed more severe flu‐related complications, in some cases leading to hospitalization and death, when compared with the general population (this also occurred during the 1918 H1N1 and 1957 H5N1 pandemics). How this can be associated with pregnancy‐ induced gestational functional changes and are not immunologically related remains to be cleared
8
PRECONGRESS COURSE 12 I VIENNA, AUSTRIA – 23 JUNE 2019 11