Increase in the production of interleukin-10 early after implantation is related to the success of pregnancy

Problem: To study the correlation of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-11 leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), placental growth factor (PlGF), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and outcome of human pregnancy. Method of study: We prospectively measured the serum levels of these cytokines in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs. A total of 60 women (non-pregnant, n=27; early abortions, n=12; normal pregnancies, n=21) were enrolled. Results: There was no difference in the cytokines studied on D0 and D14 among the three groups of women. The increase in PlGF from D0 to D14 after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection was greater in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women; however, the difference did not reach significance (P=0.068). The increase in IL-10 production from D14 to D21 was significant in women with successful pregnancies compared to women in the abortion group. Conclusions: This increase in IL-10 may be important in sustaining a normal pregnancy early after implantation.