Phagocyte activity in the peripheral blood of pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus and in the cord blood of their newborns.

Aim: To detect faults in phagocytosis in peripheral blood cells of pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and in cord blood of their newborns.

Methods: Pregnant women fulfilled ≥ 4 American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE and their newborns were recruited. Pregnant women without SLE and their newborns constituted controls.