Intravenous immunoglobulin use in patients with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss
Authors: Banjar Shorooq , Kadour Einav , Khoudja Rabea , Ton‐leclerc Shaonie , Beauchamp Coralie , Beltempo Marc , Dahan Michael H. , Gold Phil , Jacques Kadoch Isaac , Jamal Wael , Laskin Carl , Mahutte Neal , Reinblatt Shauna Leigh , Sylvestre Camille , Buckett William , Genest Genevieve 
Published: June 2023

Problem

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects up to 4% of couples attempting to conceive. RPL is unexplained in over 50% of cases and no effective treatments exist. Due to the immune system's pivotal role during implantation and pregnancy, immune‐mediated RPL may be suspected and immunomodulatory treatments like intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) have been administered but remain controversial. The goal of our study was to evaluate our center's 6 year‐outcomes and to develop a framework for IVIg use in RPL.

Method of the study

Retrospective, single‐center cohort study. All patients having received IVIg for unexplained RPL at the McGill Reproductive Immunology Clinic (MRIC) from January 2014 to December 2020 were included if maternal age was <42 years, body mass index (BMI) < 35 kg/m2, non‐smoker and having had ≥3 consecutive RPL despite previous treatment with aspirin and progesterone. IVIg 0.6–0.8 g/kg was given prior to conception and monthly during pregnancy until 16–20 weeks’ gestation. We compared IVIg treated patient's outcomes to a separate “natural history cohort”. This cohort was composed of patients consulting at the McGill recurrent pregnancy loss clinic and the MRIC over a 2‐year period (January 2020 to December 2021) with similar inclusion criteria as the treatment cohort but did not receive IVIg or other immunomodulatory treatments. The association of IVIg with outcomes (compared to no IVIg) was evaluated among the groups of patients with primary RPL and secondary RPL. The primary outcome was live birth rate (LBR), secondary outcomes included IVIg safety, obstetrical, and neonatal complications.

Results

Among 169 patients with unexplained RPL that were included in the study, 111 had primary RPL (38 exposed to IVIg and 83 controls) and 58 had secondary RPL (nine exposed to IVIG and 49 controls). Among patients with primary RPL (n = 111), the LBR was 64.3% (18/28) among patient exposed to IVIg compared to 43.4% (36/83) in controls (p = 0.079); regression analysis adjusting for BMI and number of previous miscarriages showed benefit favoring the use of IVIg (OR = 3.27, CI 95% (1.15–10.2), p = 0.03) when evaluating for live birth. In the subgroup of patients with ≥5 previous RPL and primary RPL (n = 31), IVIg was associated with higher LBR compared to control (10/15 (66.7%) vs. 3/16 (18.8%); p = 0.0113) but not the in the sub‐group of patients with <5 miscarriages and primary RPL (8/13 (61.5%) vs. 33/67 (49.3%); p = 0.548). IVIG treatment did not improve LBR in patients with secondary RPL in our study (3/9 (33.3%) vs. 23/49 (47%); p = 0.495). There were no serious adverse events in the IVIg treatment group, obstetrical/neonatal complications were similar between groups.

Conclusion

IVIg may be an effective treatment for patients with RPL if appropriately used in specific groups of patients. IVIg is a blood product and subject to shortages especially with unrestricted off‐label use. We propose considering IVIg in well‐selected patients with high order RPL who have failed standard medical therapy. Further mechanistic studies are needed to understand immune‐mediated RPL and IVIg's mode of action. This will enable further refinement of treatment criteria and the development of standardized protocol for its use in RPL.