Abstract
We have shown an interaction between ABO and placenta) alkaline phosphatase (PAP) polymorphisms (Am. J. Hum. Genet. 24, 495, 1972) suggesting that allele P1f1 of PAP partially protects fetuses of blood group B from the damaging effects of antibodies produced by ABO incompatible mothers. On the contrary, ABO compatible fetuses are at a disadvantage, since “some” maternal immunological reaction is necessary for the implantation and maintenance of the zygote in utero. Since XY zygotes are antigenically more dissimilar from their mothers than XX zygotes, we expected a high M/F ratio in newborn infants of group B compatible with their mothers. The study of a consecutive series of 2296 newborns showed a M/F ratio of 1.86 among group B compatible infants. This deviation of the sex ratio from that of the general population (∼ 1.05) is highly significant (P <0.01) and further supports our hypothesis that PAP plays an important role in the maternal-fetal immunoiogical relationship.
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Bottini, E., Carapella, E., Gloria, F. et al. ABO BLOOD GROUPS AND SEX RATIO AT BIRTH. Pediatr Res 11, 453 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00498
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00498