Biomaterial Database

Immunologic adaptations during pregnancy. 1997

K D Priddy

Many complementary changes occur in a pregnant woman's immune system to protect the fetus from attack while maintaining maternal defenses against disease. Enhancements occur in immune elements that fight bacterial infections. Conversely, suppression of T-cell activity causes increased susceptibility to viral infections, such as hepatitis, rubella, herpes, and human papilloma virus, and leads to an irreversible reduction in helper T cells in women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. Local secretion of corticosteroids and changes in cytokine concentration in the reproductive tract protect the fetus from rejection. Understanding these changes assists the perinatal nurse in assessing and counseling women of childbearing age.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011251	Pregnancy Complications, Infectious	The co-occurrence of pregnancy and an INFECTION. The infection may precede or follow FERTILIZATION.	Complications, Infectious Pregnancy,Infectious Pregnancy Complications,Maternal Sepsis,Pregnancy, Infectious Complications,Sepsis during Pregnancy,Sepsis in Pregnancy,Infectious Pregnancy Complication,Pregnancy Complication, Infectious,Sepsis in Pregnancies,Sepsis, Maternal
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000222	Adaptation, Physiological	The non-genetic biological changes of an organism in response to challenges in its ENVIRONMENT.	Adaptation, Physiologic,Adaptations, Physiologic,Adaptations, Physiological,Adaptive Plasticity,Phenotypic Plasticity,Physiological Adaptation,Physiologic Adaptation,Physiologic Adaptations,Physiological Adaptations,Plasticity, Adaptive,Plasticity, Phenotypic
D013601	T-Lymphocytes	Lymphocytes responsible for cell-mediated immunity. Two types have been identified - cytotoxic (T-LYMPHOCYTES, CYTOTOXIC) and helper T-lymphocytes (T-LYMPHOCYTES, HELPER-INDUCER). They are formed when lymphocytes circulate through the THYMUS GLAND and differentiate to thymocytes. When exposed to an antigen, they divide rapidly and produce large numbers of new T cells sensitized to that antigen.	T Cell,T Lymphocyte,T-Cells,Thymus-Dependent Lymphocytes,Cell, T,Cells, T,Lymphocyte, T,Lymphocyte, Thymus-Dependent,Lymphocytes, T,Lymphocytes, Thymus-Dependent,T Cells,T Lymphocytes,T-Cell,T-Lymphocyte,Thymus Dependent Lymphocytes,Thymus-Dependent Lymphocyte
D016389	Maternal-Child Nursing	The nursing specialty that deals with the care of women throughout their pregnancy and childbirth and the care of their newborn children.	Maternity Nursing,Nursing, Maternal-Child,Nursing, Maternity,Maternal Child Nursing,Nursing, Maternal Child