MATERNAL PERIPHERAL-BLOOD LYMPHOCYTE SUBPOPULATIONS IN NORMAL AND PATHOLOGICAL PREGNANCIES

Flow cytometry was used to determine lymphocyte subpopulations in mate rnal blood from 143 pathological pregnancies: 50 with fetal aneuploidy ; 32 with missed abortions; 12 with ectopic pregnancies; 20 with multi -fetal pregnancies, and 29 with pregnancies complicated by intrauterin e growth retardation (IUGR). The values were compared to those of 240 women with normal singleton pregnancies at 8-40 weeks of gestation and 20 non-pregnant controls. In early pregnancy (8-10 weeks), compared t o non-pregnant values, there was a decrease in the percentage of CD4cells and CD4+ to CD8+ ratio and an increase in the percentage of CD8 cells. In later pregnancy, the CD4+ cell percentage and CD4+ to CD8ratio increased and the CD8+ cell percentage decreased to reach non-pr egnant values at term. The percentage of natural killer (CD3- and CD16 /56+) cells decreased with gestation, while the percentage of B (CD19) cells did not change significantly. In IUGR, the percentage of CD4cells and CD4+ to CD8+ ratio were decreased, while the percentage of C D8+ cells was increased. In contrast, in the groups of missed abortion s and ectopic pregnancies, the CD4+ to CD8+ ratio was increased. In mu ltifetal pregnancies and those with fetal aneuploidies there were no s ignificant differences in maternal lymphocyte subpopulations from norm als.