Immunology
and pregnancy

Despite very effective treatment options, not every fertility treatment is successful. Sometimes women become pregnant but repeatedly suffer miscarriages. The causes of recurrent pregnancy loss (also called recurrent miscarriage or habitual abortion), which usually occur in the early stage of pregnancy, are complex. In about half the cases, it is not possible to give a clear reason for the habitual abortions. If genetic disorders, infections and tumours can be excluded as the cause, there is the possibility that infertility is caused by immunological problem.

We offer an immunological consultation at our centres that focuses on immunological causes for an absence of pregnancy after IVF. We focus on your individual situation and analyse all the potential causes, such as genetic, infectious, endocrine, haemostaseological, uterine and immunological abnormalities. After diagnosis, we give you our treatment recommendations.

For some of our patients, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in conjunction with the artificial insemination process has proven effective. If previous IVF-ICSI treatments were unsuccessful, we start with infusion treatment before inserting the embryo. If a patient has suffered recurrent miscarriages without artificial insemination, we start treatment at three-week intervals as soon as there is a positive pregnancy test and continue it up to the 24th week of pregnancy.

In our experience, pregnancy rates and birth rates increase significantly with immune therapy where there is a history of implantation failure in IVF-ICSI treatment, and it also significantly reduces the risk of another miscarriage in patients with a history of recurrent miscarriages.

What are intravenous immunoglobulins?

Intravenous – i.e. externally administered – immunoglobulins (IVIG) work in the same way as the antibodies that a healthy body produces naturally. They are administered to support and/or regulate the immune system, as is done with auto-immune diseases.