“Understanding how our immune system fluctuates around an equilibrium state, like the movement of a pendulum, is key in addressing immune problems of infertility”

Dr. Dimitri Papanikolaou, Observations of an Immune Fertility Doctor,
Immune Fertility Guide, IVFimmunology.com

Equilibrium and fluctuations of the immune system

The key before we try and alter the immune status on specific occasions, such as for conception and pregnancy, is to understand how our immune system works at these times.  Like everything in our body, the status of the immune system is constantly fluctuating. Indeed, there are periods in life when our immune system loses its fine balance and consequently overreacts or underreacts outside normal limits. At other times, it reaches an equilibrium and stabilises. The frequency and the intensity of any periods of instability depend largely on inherited characteristics for each person and to a lesser extent environmental variables also play an important role.

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The pendulum movement

The immune system is one of the few systems in our body that we still don’t yet fully understand. We have studied only some parts of its complex functionality and mechanisms, and we haven’t yet managed to piece together a detailed specification of how it works, reacts to different variables and interplays with other systems in our body. What researchers do agree on is that it is a ‘big player’ in our overall well-being and body functionality.

The more I try to create a conceptual image of how the immune system works, so more strongly I am drawn to the comparison with the movements of a pendulum.

The majority of people have an immune system that has limits to its movement. As long as it stays within these limits, the effect is normal, including the slight variation in immune status among those limits (from strong to weak, but always in between normal limits).

Some people, however, exhibit irregular or acute immunological reactions. These reactions can appear quickly, have a variable duration from hours to weeks, and are always followed by a mirroring drop reaction with the same characteristics.

I.e., If the immune reaction was excessive and over the ‘normal’ limit, then the ensuing dropping reaction is equally extreme passing below the ‘normal’ lower limit. It is rather like a pendulum movement, where the normal fluctuation of an immune system occurs within the zone of the pendulum movement and outside these limits are the dysfunctionally weak and strong zones of ‘abnormal’ immune reaction.

In comparison, in a healthy immune-balanced woman, as represented by the swinging pendulum, the normal reaction of an immune system is not static, it is constantly correcting and making minor adjustments between weaker and stronger reactions while always remaining within the moderate zone limits of a ‘normal’ reaction.

In most cases of abnormal immune system, the reaction is gradual, and depends on the sensitivity of the immune system as well as the intensity of the irritation caused by the embryo itself.

I have observed that the immune system status can be altered with medications. It should be noted that different immune medications affect various parts of the immune system and reaction in different ways. It is important that these differences are taken into account during the formation of any treatment plan.

Article taken from:
“Observations of an immune fertility doctor”, IMMUNE FERTILITY GUIDE
Read more of Dr. Dimitri’s articles by visiting our sister website dedicated to Reproductive Immunology, IVFImmunology.com