Organ rejection and pregnancy.

[Gumba Masta]

I don't know if there are any biologists here but I suddenly came up with the question "If a donor organ is rejected by the recipients body's imune system how come the same does'nt happen with an embryo during a pregnancy?"

[MrBogosity]

I'm not an expert, but my understanding is that the placental barrier protects the fetus from the mother's immune system. Contrary to popular belief, they don't share a cardiovascular system.

[Virgil0211]

I don't know if there are any biologists here but I suddenly came up with the question "If a donor organ is rejected by the recipients body's imune system how come the same does'nt happen with an embryo during a pregnancy?"

Asked my mother, who's been in neonatal care for about 30 years. Text message form, so forgive the format.

"That is one of life's miracles - immune system during pregnancy is somewhat suppressed. There is some suspicion that some habitual aborters r actually having rxn to father/fetus HLA - human leukogenic antigen."

I assume, by habitual aborters, she means people who have had multiple miscarriages. That's sometimes referred to as a spontaneous abortion.

EDIT: Sorry, human leukocyte antigen.

[Lord T Hawkeye]

Immune suppressants are employed to protect the fetus.  I read some scientists were looking into using it as a remedy for athritis (to stop the immune system from attacking your joints)

[VectorM]

God is in to special pleading, that's all.