Dr. Soumya Rathi | ACE Fertility Centre

LIT Newspaper Article

LIT not just a drink. Advancement in fertility treatment!

What is LYMPHOCYTE IMMUNOTHERAPY (LIT) ?

The LIT Therapy or Lymphocyte Immunisation Therapy is a procedure that is used to hep treat recurrent pregnancy losses. Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a condition which defines two or more failed pregnancies. The procedure involves the transfer of white blood cells from the father into the skin of the prospective mother. This is done to introduce the immune system of the husband so as to prepare the immune system of the woman for pregnancy and overcome possible immunologic causes of poor implantation.

Who benefit from LIT?

When immunological causes for unsuccessful embryo implantations are suspected, LIT Therapy may be carried out. It is thought that because the developing embryo and foetal tissues are produced from both the mother and father’s DNA, the mother’s immune system mistakenly views proteins formed from the husband’s share of the genome as foreign and attacks the developing baby.  Lymphocyte Immunization  was created to make the mother’s immune system ready for pregnancy so that it can help acclimatize the potential mother’s body to foreign cells rather than fighting and destroying the embryo or foetus.

By introducing paternal proteins, antigens, and cellular structures to the developing embryo or foetus in a “friendly” manner before they may be deemed toxic and lead to the termination of early pregnancy, LIT is expected to alleviate this detrimental reaction.

Can LIT therapy be considered for treatments at all times?
One of the requirements for proper treatment is the screening of the patients. Lymphocyte immunisation therapy is not meant for all women with RPL. The success rates are much higher when patients with immune abnormalities try this therapy.
How is the therapy performed?
The LIT is performed with the help of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells. They are collected from a healthy donor. Generally, the prospective father is chosen as the donor, though it depends on the immune issues and circumstances. A fresh blood sample is collected before the treatment and a concentrated solution of lymphocytes is prepared. It is then injected into the skin (intradermal) and below the skin (subcutaneous) of the prospective mother.
Features
  • LIT involves separation of lymphocytes from husband’s blood and injecting them in the wife
  • LIT is an out patient procedure
  • After LIT, the couple is asked to make active attempts at conception after a period of 4-6 weeks
  • The woman should conceive within one year after LIT for optimum results
  • LIT is free from major side effects.
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