LYMPHOCYTE-TRANSFORMATION IN NEWBORNS, NORMAL WOMEN AND THOSE WHO HAD USED ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVES

Lymphocyte transformation, utilizing the mitotic index parameter has been assessed in newborns' cord blood, adults and women who had been on oral contraceptives and their babies. The results show that the newborns' cord blood response is significantly higher to PHA when compared with the respective adults' response. No significant difference was observed between the women taking oral contraceptives and their respective controls.After delivery, 10 ml of blood was collected from mothers and 5 ml of cord blood from their babies. Micro- and macromethods were used in setting up the blood cultures for chromosome preparations and mitotic indices. Details of methods used are given. The differences in mitotic indices in both blood culture methods between the mothers and newborns were statistically significant (.02 p .01). Dividing cells were obtained from all microcultures from newborn infants. Some cultures from mothers were not readable. Mitotic indices of 70 test mothers who had taken oral contraceptives and their babies were similar. There was no depression of the phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response by the mothers who had used oral contraceptives previously or by their offspring. Cord blood gave a higher response to PHA than did adult venous blood. This higher response lends support to the belief that cellular immunity is evident in early postnatal life.