Does interferon affect pregnancy?

Interferon is a drug that has no effect on the embryo and will not cause fetal malformations, so it will not affect conception. Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women do not use drugs indiscriminately during the bad pregnancy period. It is best not to use interferon during pregnancy, mainly because interferon can cause miscarriage and reduce fetal weight. Regarding the factors that affect interferon on pregnancy, it is recommended that you understand the following content.

1. Does interferon affect pregnancy?

Interferon was not found to be teratogenic in small animal experiments, nor did it affect normal conception in animals. It is recommended that if an unexpected pregnancy occurs during interferon treatment, interferon should be stopped immediately. If an unexpected pregnancy occurs during antiviral treatment, interferon must be discontinued and treatment should be continued with nucleoside (acid) drugs with pregnancy safety level B. Neither of the two authoritative hepatitis B guidelines recommends termination of pregnancy. A systematic review of the safety of interferon α on the fetus found that the main effects of interferon on the fetus are miscarriage, fetal growth retardation, low birth weight, etc., and no reports of fetal malformations were found.

Therefore, it can be seen that the impact of interferon on the fetus is mainly to cause miscarriage or fetal growth retardation. This is mainly due to the anti-proliferative effect of interferon and the inhibition of protein synthesis. In addition, interferon has many side effects, which can cause fever, leukopenia, thyroid abnormalities, etc. in the mother. Pregnancy during treatment will also affect the growth and development of the fetus.

2. Clinical application of interferon

2.1. IFN reduction

The ability of peripheral blood lymphocytes to produce interferon in patients with malignant solid tumors is significantly reduced, and the ability of IFN production in patients with cellular immune deficiency, such as AIDS patients, is also reduced, which is also one of the causes of fatal viral infections.

2.2. Increased IFN

IFN levels are significantly increased in the serum of patients with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and active lupus erythematosus. However, changes in IFN are rarely detected in the serum of non-autoimmune patients. Therefore, the measurement of serum IFN levels can distinguish whether patients have autoimmune diseases and understand the activity stage of the disease.

3. Basic types of interferon

3.1 Type I interferon

Type I interferons include IFN-α and IFN-β. IFN-β is produced by human fibroblasts; IFN-α is mainly produced by monocytes and macrophages. In addition, B cells and fibroblasts can also synthesize IFN-α; IFN-β is mainly produced by fibroblasts.

3.2 Type II interferon

Type II interferon is interferon-γ, which is mainly produced by activated T cells (including Th0, TH1 cells and almost all CD8+

It is produced by T cells) and NK cells and is a type of so-called lymphokine (LyTnPhokine).

Factors that affect pregnancy

1. Ovarian factors

Ovarian disease is a very important cause of female infertility. In today's society, more and more women suffer from ovarian diseases such as ovarian cysts, premature ovarian failure and polycystic ovary syndrome. These diseases cause serious damage to women's ovarian function, making it impossible for eggs to be discharged or formed normally, which will lead to women's inability to become pregnant.

2. Cervical disease factors

During the ovulation period, the position of the cervix of normal women will expand, allowing the egg or fertilized egg to enter the female uterus more conveniently. However, diseases such as cervical polyps and cervical erosion caused by chronic cervicitis will affect the entry of sperm, eggs and fertilized eggs, thereby affecting women's fertility.