Endotoxin-induced cytokine production of monocytes of third-trimester pregnant women compared with women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.

Objective: Little is known about the function of the innate immune response during pregnancy. We therefore investigated monocyte cytokine production, as a measure of monocyte function, in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women.

Study Design: Whole blood of women in the follicular phase (day 5-6) and of healthy pregnant women (30 weeks) was collected and stimulated with endotoxin (2 microg/mL).