Volume 94, Issue 1 e70125
REVIEW

Evaluation of Th1-Th2 Balance in Patients With Unexplained Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Reza Kargar

Reza Kargar

Student Research Committee, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

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Zahra Yahoo

Zahra Yahoo

School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

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Hosein Rafiemanesh

Hosein Rafiemanesh

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

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Saeed Aslani

Saeed Aslani

Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

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Atefeh Shamosi

Atefeh Shamosi

Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

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Hamed Mohammadi

Corresponding Author

Hamed Mohammadi

Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

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First published: 12 July 2025

ABSTRACT

Objective

Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) poses a major challenge in reproductive medicine, with increasing evidence of maternal immune dysregulation. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed differences in T helper (Th) 1 and Th2 cell frequencies and their ratio between women with URSA and healthy fertile controls.

Methods

A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (WoS), up to October 2024, included studies evaluating peripheral blood Th subsets by flow cytometry.

Results

Meta-analyses were performed for Th1(IFN-γ), Th1(TNF-α), Th2(IL-4), Th2(IL-10), and Th1/Th2 ratios. Th1(IFN-γ) frequencies were significantly higher in URSA (mean difference [MD] = 2.31, 95% CI = 0.30–4.33, p = 0.02), while Th2(IL-4) levels were lower (MD = −0.51, 95% CI = −0.91 to −0.11, p = 0.01). No significant differences were observed for Th1(TNF-α) (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI = −0.06 to 0.55, p = 0.11) and Th2(IL-10) (SMD = −0.28, 95% CI = −0.62 to 0.05, p = 0.10). The Th1(IFN-γ)/Th2(IL-4) ratio was significantly elevated (MD = 5.37, 95% CI = 1.47–9.27, p = 0.007), reflecting a shift toward a Th1-dominant immune profile.

Conclusions

These findings support the role of Th1/Th2 imbalance in URSA and suggest its potential value as a diagnostic or prognostic marker.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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