Deficiency in memory B cell compartment in a patient with infertility and recurrent pregnancy losses

Abstract

Alterations in normal balance of B cell subsets have been reported in various rheumatic diseases. In this study, we report a woman with a history of recurrent pregnancy losses (RPL) and infertility who had low levels of memory B cells. A 35-year-old woman with a history of RPL and infertility was demonstrated to have increased peripheral blood CD19+ B cells with persistently low levels of memory B cell subsets. Prior to the frozen donor egg transfer cycle, prednisone and intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIg) treatment was initiated and patient achieved dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies. During pregnancy, proportion (%) of switched memory B cells CD27+IgD− increased, while percent of total CD19+ B cells and CD27−IgD+ naive B cells were gradually decreased with a high dose IVIg treatment. She developed cervical incompetence at 20 weeks of gestation, received a Cesarean section at 32 weeks of gestation due to preterm labor, and delivered twin babies. B cell subset abnormalities may be associated with infertility, RPL and preterm labor, and further investigation is needed.