Investigation of Immune Cell Interactions to Promote Maternal and Fetal Health in a Healthy Pregnancy

Abstract

Context: Pregnancy represents a unique physiological state characterized by profound immunological changes that facilitate the interaction between the maternal and fetal immune systems. Evidence Acquisition: Key components of the immune system, including natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages (Mφ), regulatory T cells (Tregs), and cytokines, are crucial for maintaining maternal immune tolerance against the fetus. Results: Decidual natural killer (dNK) cells are the most prevalent uterine natural killer cells (uNK), and their increase in early pregnancy indicates their direct relationship and vital role during this period. Conclusions: An imbalance among immune cells can lead to pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The purpose of this review is to investigate the function of NK cells, Mφs, Tregs, and cytokines in the context of healthy pregnancy.