Reproductive immunology of pregnancy refers to a field of medicine that studies the maternal immune tolerance towards the foetus. The observation of increased natural killer cells in women with reproductive failure such as recurrent implantation failure, recurrent miscarriage and pre-eclampsia, has suggested that they may play a role in this pathology. Despite intensive research, there is a lot of controversy about this field.
The ARGC was one of the first clinics in the UK to investigate the recurrent implantation failure of embryos and the immunology of implantation. This enables us to identify and offer specialised treatment to couples suspected of suffering from this type of infertility.
Many patients at the ARGC have had previous failed IVF/ICSI cycles or complex fertility issues. In cases of recurrent implantation failure, repeated miscarriages and women with a medical history of immunological conditions such as thyroid problems, lupus and ulcerative colitis, the immune system may not be in balance. Using bloods test markers for immune function can be investigated and, if necessary, treated with drug treatments to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.
You can find out more about the costs of immunology testing and treatment here.