Experimental investigation of the passage of agglutinins from mother to fetus

Summary The agglutinin content of the blood of newborn and their mothers was studied in order to investigate the problem of the transplacental passage of antibodies.The investigations were carried out post partum in a lying-in hospital. There were observed 100 mothers and the same number of newborn. The results were checked experimentally in female rabbits and their offspring.It was established that transplacental passage of agglutinins from mother to fetus takes place. However, the titers of antibodies in the blood of the newborn were, as a rule, lower than the corresponding titers in the maternal blood. Consequently this passage of antibody cannot be considered to be simple filtration of antibodies through a semipermeable membrane.Presented by Active Member of the USSR Acad. Med. Sci. N. N. Zhukov-Verezhnikov