Efficacy of the placental barrier for immunoglobulins: correlations between maternal, paternal and fetal immunoglobulin levels.

The relationship of immunoglobulin levels in fetal and parental blood for those classes showing a high degree of placental impermeability was investigated in 430 mothers, their newborn infants (cord blood) and their husbands. Levels of IgA, IgD and IgM in maternal serum were unrelated to the sex of the offspring. IgE levels were significantly higher in mothers of male infants than in mothers of female infants (53 versus 40 IU/ml, p < 0.02). Significant correlations between maternal-fetal (r = 0.37; p < 0.01), paternal-fetal (r = 0.12; p < 0.02) and maternal-paternal IgE levels were found (r = 0.17; p < 0.02). For the levels of other immunoglobulins studied, the maternal-fetal correlations were not significant. The results support the effectiveness of the placental barrier for IgA, IgD, IgE and IgM. The significant correlation between IgE levels in mothers-newborns, fathers-newborns and mothers-fathers may be explained by the influence of the home milieu on the entire family, including the fetus.