Immunoglobulin Therapy In Fertility Care

Immunoglobulins are better known as antibodies, Y-shaped proteins your immune system releases to spot germs and flag them for destruction. Immunoglobulin (IgG) therapy gives you a concentrated dose of antibodies that can “quiet” an over-zealous immune response that sometimes blocks implantation or triggers miscarriage.

The blood product used in therapy is almost entirely IgG which is the most common antibody in healthy adults. Thousands of screened donors give plasma and a specialised lab filters out and concentrates those IgG molecules. The end result is a clear liquid containing ready-made, broadly acting antibodies. 

There are two ways to receive these antibodies: 

• Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg): a large infusion delivered through a vein over several hours in a hospital or clinic.
• Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin (SCIg): the same antibodies packaged for small weekly injections under the skin that you (or a visiting nurse) can give at home. 

IVIg has the longest track record, yet supply issues and evolving guidelines mean many Canadian and U.S. clinics now start with at-home SCIg.

Who May Consider It

IVIg/SCIg therapy isn’t a default step, but for a subset of people...