Studies on Immunological Problems -- Alan E. Beer Center for Reproductive Immunology and Genetics

The Alan E. Beer Center for Reproductive Immunology & Genetics helps families grow by researching and treating couples who experience recurrent miscarriages, multiple pregnancy losses or repeated in vitro fertilization failures.

Studies on Immunological Problems

Dr. Alan Beer and his associates, in an award winning 1995 study presented to the 6th International Congress of Reproductive Immunology, reported that 86.6% of women with elevated Natural Killer Cells had a successful pregnancy outcome when treated with preconception IVIg, aspirin and heparin.
Dr. Carolyn Coulam finished a double blind study on IVIg therapy for immune problems resulting in infertility. Her results were published in the December 1995 issue of The American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. Her study showed a 3:1 ratio of increased births to women receiving IVIg vs. a placebo. These results are now being presented to the FDA to support the approval and the use of this drug for reproductive immunology purposes.
In 1994, an article was published by Coulam, C.B., Krysa, L.W., and Bustillo, M. in Human Reproduction 9, 2265 - 2269, entitled "Intravenous Immunoglobulin for In-Vitro Fertilization Failure".
DePlacido, G., Zullo, Mallo, A. Capieio, F., Nazarro, A., Colarcurci, N., Palumbo, G. published in 1994 in the Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 734, 1 - 3 an article entitled, " Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) in Prevention of Implantation Failures".
Kleinstein, J., Khanaga, O., Gips, H. and Kunzel, W. published the article entitled, "Intravenous Immunoglobulin Increase Clinical Pregnancy Rates in IVF Program in 1994 in the Society Gynecological Invest, 41^st Annual Meeting, Abstract #P108.
In a 1994 article in the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, the Recurrent Miscarriage Immunologist Trialist Group published the results of a Meta-Analysis of White Blood Cell Immunizations that was organized by the American Society of Reproductive Immunology Ethics Committee. Two different analyses showed an increase in live births (a ratio of 1.16 in one analysis and a ratio of 1.21 in the second). When the analysis was limited to women with primary miscarriages it increased to a ratio of 1.46. These results were significant at the p=.006 level. The studies that used subcutaneous immunization vs. intravenous with white blood cell (LIT) immunizations showed better results. Also, those studies included in the Meta-Analysis that screened out the women with other immune problems showed better results (example APA and Natural Killer Cells). The presence of these additional problems seemed to cause pregnancy losses even when LIT was given.
Most of the studies on reproductive immunology concern miscarriage. The thinking now is that a good portion of infertility is simply very early miscarriage. This theory was reported in the American College of Gynecology (ACOG) September 1995 Bulletin. "Approximately 50-70% of pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion. Most of these pregnancy losses are unrecognized because they occur before, or at the time of, the expected menses". When these patients are studied carefully, 15% show an unexpected pregnancy per menstrual cycle that did not take.
A study by Geoffrey Sher was published in Human Reproduction, vol. 9, no. 12 PP 2279-2283, 1994, "High fecundity rates following in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in antiphospholipid seropositive women treated with heparin and aspirin". This study showed a 49% viable pregnancy rate for women positive for antiphospholipid antibodies and treated with heparin and aspirin vs. 16% of seropositive women not treated with heparin and aspirin.

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Alan E. Beer Center for Reproductive Immunology & Genetics
15151 National Ave. #2; Los Gatos, CA 95032; Phone: (408) 356-9500; Fax: (408) 356-9509; E-mail: info@repro-med.net.
Date: 7-24-08, Time: 9:52 am.