Page 46 - The Miracle in the Immune System

44 THE MIRACLE OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

vaders that have infiltrated to the cells and the skin.
Due their above-mentioned ability and small size, they
can enter the placenta of a pregnant woman and pro-
tect an undefended foetus against possible infections.
If antibodies were not created with this characteris-
tic which permits them to penetrate the placenta, the
unborn child in the mother's womb would be unpro-
tected against microbes. It would be under the threat of
death even before it was born. For this reason, the anti-
bodies of the mother protect the embryo against the
enemies until the time of birth.
IgA (Immune Globulin A): These antibodies are
present in sensitive regions where the body fights with
antigens such as in tears, saliva, mother's milk, blood, air
sacs, mucus, gastric and intestinal secretions. The sensi-
tivity of those regions relates directly to the tendency
of bacteria and viruses to prefer such damp mediums.
IgAs, which are structurally quite similar to each
other, settle in those regions of the body where mi-
crobes are most likely to enter, and they keep this area
under control. This is like placing reliable soldiers on
guard at strategically critical points.
The antibodies, which protect the foetus from vari-
ous diseases in the mother's womb, do not abandon the
newborn following their birth, but continue to guard
them. All newborn babies do need ongoing assistance
from the mother, because there are no IgAs in the or-
ganism of a newborn baby. During this period, the IgAs
present in the milk the baby sucks from its mother pro-
tect the baby's digestive system from the effect of many
microbes. Just like IgGs, this antibody class also disap-