Sarah Hendrickson Author
Subjects of specialization
Affiliation
Clinical Immunology, Oncology, Gynaecology, Public Health, Diabetology
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Sarah Hendrickson works in the University of Cincinnati and is interested in the fields of Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology, Public Health, Oncology, Epidemiology, Diabetology and Neurology
Review Article Open Access
Author(s): Brittany Buening, Sarah Hendrickson and Christopher Smith
Research has shown that autoimmune diseases have a significant prevalence within the female population, and a considerable portion of women who are mothers. According to Khashan et al., 44.3% of women who develop an autoimmune disease have onset after the first year of pregnancy. During pregnancy, the fetus develops a separate circulatory system, however the fetus’s and mother’s blood often mix. This fetomaternal trafficking is known as microchimerism. Fetal components, such as DNA, may remain in the mother’s system for decades after childbirth, while maternal components remain in the offspring as well. There are certain conditions causing a higher percentage of blood mixing, such as hypertension or preeclampsia. The literature shows that c... view moreĀ»