intralipids

I had a few extra minutes this afternoon, so I thought I would post some information about intralipids, as this is a topic that has been mentioned several times on the blog.

My reproductive immunologist had given me a packet of information on reproductive immunology and immune therapy. The section on intralipids follows::

"Intralipid
Evidence from both animal and human studies suggest that intralipid administered intravenously may enhance implantation. Intralipid is a 20% intravenous fat emulsion used routinely as a source of fat and calories for patients requiring parental nutrition. It is composed of 10% soybean oil, 1.2% egg yolk phospholipids, 2.25% gylcerine and water. Intralipid stimulated the immune system to remove “danger signals” that can lead to pregnancy loss. The appeal of Intralipid lies in the fact that it is relatively inexpensive and is not a blood product".

Most clinics, including the famous SIRM clinics/ Sher Institutes in the U.S., have replaced IVIG therapy with intralipids because they have been proven to be as effective, but as noted, are less expensive and are not a blood product. I was told that IVIG is approximately $4,000 per infusion, and I’m paying $400 per intralipid infusion, so it’s a considerable difference in price.

For more information, I would recommend the book, “Is Your Body Baby Friendly”, by Dr. Alan Beer. The book is a few years old and focuses largely on IVIG, which as stated, has been replaced at most programs with intralipids. I particularly enjoyed this book because the author acknowledged that reproductive immunology is still a new field and misunderstood by many of his colleagues. Over half of the book is notes, excerpts from medical journals, and studies; fabulous for someone like me who likes to know where an author is getting information.

Later this week I’ll go through my notes and medical records and do a blog post about my specific immune diagnosis and the ramifications of it, but for today, I just wanted to give a rough overview of intralipids and a few resources.

I’ve also decided that it’s about time I start going through the many infertility podcasts and books that I have. The blog will be a good push to do that, so beginning next week, I’ll do a weekly review of a podcast or book that might be of interest. Stay tuned.

Here are a few additional links to reproductive immunology websites:

The Alan E. Beer Center for Reproductive Immunology & Genetics

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science Clinical Immunology Laboratory
(Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago did the majority of my immune testing)

Reproductive Immunology Associates

Reproductive Immunology Associates Lab Studies

If you click on the individual tests on the websites, they give more information about the testing process and significance of elevated results.