# IMMUNOGENETIC STUDIES OF FERTILITY IN HUTTERITES

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 1993 · $196,398

## Abstract

The objective of the proposed investigation is to identify human
major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and non-MHC genes or regions
that influence reproductive outcome.  we propose to continue our
population-based studies in the Hutterites and, in addition,
conduct a prospective cohort study of pregnancy outcome among young
Hutterite couples who have not yet completed their families.  The
Hutterites are an anabaptist sect that lives communally and
proscribes contraception.  Our data continue to show longer
intervals from marriage to each birth among couples sharing HLA-A,
-B, or -DR antigens (Ober et. al., Fert. Steril. 44:227-232, 1985).
Results of a prospective pilot study of pregnancy outcome in the
Hutterites initiated in year -02 of our grant period, suggest that
longer birth intervals among couples sharing antigens may result
from the effects of genes in more than one MHC region (i.e., HLA-
A linked and HLA-Dr linked) and that these genes may exert
different effects fat different stages of gestation.  Our pilot
data indicate that Hutterite couples sharing HLA-Dr antigens have
longer intervals to a recognized pregnancy (p<.05).  Whether these
differences are due to peri-implantation losses or factors that
interfere with conception is unknown.  On the other hand, Hutterite
couples sharing HLA-A antigens experience increased recognized (>6
weeks gestation) fetal loss rates (p<.05).  In addition,
signification effects of Gm (immunoglobulin allotypes) mating types
on Hutterite family sizes were also observed (Ober et. al., Am. J.
Hum. Gen. 39:A242, 1986).  In our renewal grant, we propose to
better define MHC genes or regions that influence Hutterite
fertility and examine their interactions with non-MHC genes (such
as immunoglobulin and transferrin).  In addition, we propose to
elucidate the effects (reduced pregnancy rates v. increased fetal
loss rates) and mechanisms (immunologic v. genetic) of these genes.
Further refinement of MHC sharing will be possible using
restriction fragment length polymorphim (RFLP) analysis with probes
for MHC genes.  RFLP studies for immunoglobulin and transferrin
genes will increase the number of informative couples for analyses
of fertility effects of these genes.  RFLP analysis has proven to
be a valuable technique for identifying MHC disease susceptibility
genes.  To our knowledge, this approach has not been applied to
studies of genes that affect fertility, but offers a powerful tool
by which such genes can be identified.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2198188
- **Project number:** 5R01HD021244-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** ZUE9HKT2CLC9
- **Principal Investigator:** Carole Ober
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $196,398
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1988-10-01 → 1994-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2198188

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2198188, IMMUNOGENETIC STUDIES OF FERTILITY IN HUTTERITES (5R01HD021244-09). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2198188. Licensed CC0.

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