How Our Immune System Affects Fertility and Miscarriage

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Can problems in our immune system cause infertility, miscarriage, or premature birth? Today we talk with Reproductive Endocrinologist Dr. Daniel Stein, Director of RMA of New York’s Westside office and Chief of Reproductive Endocrinology at Mount Sinai West Hospital, about the impact our immune system has on our fertility.

In this episode, we cover:

• In what ways are our immune system and reproductive system linked?
• Why does the woman’s immune system not react to the presence of a fetus?
• Autoimmune diseases-how do they impact fertility and miscarriage or premature birth
• What are the most common auto-immune diseases? (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s Disease, Hashimoto's disease, celiac disease, endometriosis, premature ovarian insufficiency)
• Are autoimmune mechanisms involved in infertility disorders such as premature ovarian failure or diminished ovarian reserves, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), unexplained infertility, and repeatedly unsuccessful IVF attempts and may be responsible for the pathophysiology of preeclampsia or spontaneous abortions?
• Endometriosis
• Premature ovarian insufficiency
• Impact of auto-immune diseases on pregnancy complications, miscarriage, and still births.
• What is antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and do they impact fertility or miscarriage
• Mucosal immunity of the female genital tract? Female immune system reacting to sperm.
• What are anti-seminal/sperm antibodies in men and women?
• Can a woman be allergic to sperm?
• What role does our microbiome play in our immunity?
• What role does our microbiome play in fertility?
•  What are natural killer cells?
• Does infertility treatment, such as IVF, affect a woman’s immune system?

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Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.

Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:

• Weekly podcasts
• Weekly articles/blog posts
• Resource pages on all aspects of family building