Immunology of pregnancy and systemic consequences

Pregnancy is an immunological paradox, with renowned Nobel Prize winning transplantation biologist Sir Peter Brian Medawar being the first to introduce this concept back in 1953. This concept considers how the maternal immune system can tolerate the developing fetus, which is 50% antigenically foreign to the uterus. There have been significant advances in our understanding of the immune system in regulating fertility, pregnancy and in complications of these, and what was once considered a paradox can be seen as a highly evolved system. Indeed, the complexity of the maternal–fetal interface along with our ever-advancing knowledge of immune cells and mediators means that we have a better understanding of these interactions, with gaps still present. This chapter will summarise the key aspects of the role of the immune system at each stage of pregnancy and highlight the recent advances in our knowledge.