Progesterone may be why pregnant women are more vulnerable to certain infections

(Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) Women who are pregnant or using synthetic progesterone birth control injections have a vulnerability to infections including malaria, Listeria, HIV, and herpes simplex virus. Research in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology shows that the progesterone receptor, a pregnancy hormone sensor, targets a part of the immune system responsible for protection against these invaders.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news