Cocoa Pods

Today I’m with guest Dr Rahul Vangala This episode gets straight to the point in answering the grand question of “Why does a mother’s immune system not reject a developing baby as foreign tissue?” Dr. Rahul Vangala’s most interesting answer is compared to a person’s rejection of organ transplants. He explains that along with the immune changes a mother experiences, the placenta’s close knit anatomy is a certain immune privilege site that has the attributes of a nematode using neurokinines in order to remain “hidden” and not be detected by the host. If the host’s body cannot recognize foreign substances, then it lacks the ability to enable defense mechanisms that would attack that foreign material. This is most favorable for a fetus and perpetuates gestation. He moves on to break down the complex immune responses our bodies have antigens, or foreign materials, by mentioning the main role of the TH1 T Helper Cell and it’s critical function to rejecting organs. Dr. Vangala mentions this because during pregnancy it necessary that there be an ideal degree of immune suppression of TH1 responses by the presence of TH2 responses. Not only are TH1 cells suppressed but Natural Killer cells are also dampened. He then goes on to explain how the beginning stages of the placenta during implantation resembles a semi-allograft meaning that the tissues grafted in are only partially foreign. The two doctors then discuss a major topic of autoimmune disorders and the complications of attempting to get pregnant. They unveil the way the autoimmune diseases decrease the likelihood of an optimal environment for viable gestation. Although, it is not impossible for women who live with autoimmune disorders to get pregnant and deliver a health baby. However, all in all there are many adjustments to the mechanics in order to make what we see as precious miracles. #immunechanges #placenta #pregnancy #immunesystem #TCells #THelperCells #semiallograft #autoimmune #graft #host #Surrogacy #AllergyImmunology #Rashes #Hives #Hormones