Abstract
The efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IgG) treatment was tested in 13 women presenting with recurrent, spontaneous fetal loss thought to be caused by immune rejection related to HLA-sharing between the spouses. IgG therapy (0.5g/kg body wt, by slow intravenous infusion) was started at week 5 to 6 each new pregnancy, and the dose was repeated every 4 weeks up to a total of 6 doses or when the patient had achieved 24 weeks of successful gestation. Ten patients had a pregnancy continuing beyond 24 weeks, of whom 7 had spontaneous vaginal deliveries at term, 3 are currently pregnant beyond the 30th week, and 2 patients became pregnant for the second time while on the same treatment. Three patients aborted in early pregnancy. The overall success rate was 80%. The side effects noted included headache, fever and skin rash; only one patient developed meningism. These results lend support to the use of intravenous immunoglobulin in the management of HLA-related recurrent fetal loss.