Question

If a woman suffering from rheumatoid arthritis becomes pregnant, the arthritis symptoms often subside temporarily during her pregnancy. Not coincidentally, a woman who has once had genital warts caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) will find they return temporarily during her pregnancy. Which of the following condition is common between these two observations?

• A. Both effects are caused by the production of FSH and LH during pregnancy.
• B. Both effects are caused by the reduction of progesterone and estrogen during pregnancy.
• C. Both are caused by the partial suppression of the immune system during pregnancy.
• D. Both effects are caused by the production of progesterone and estrogen, and the drop in $\beta$-HCG levels, during pregnancy.
• E. Both effects are caused by the production of oxytocin during prgenancy.

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Both are caused by the partial suppression of the immune system during pregnancy.

Placenta secretes progesterone and estrogen during pregnancy which in turn inhibits release of FSH and LH by the anterior pituitary to prevent menstrual cycle during the period. Oxytocin is birth hormone and is mainly produced during child birth. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease wherein immune system attacks body's own cells. Immune tolerance during pregnancy lowers down the maternal immune response to avoid any immune reaction against placenta and fetus. The lowered immune response causes subsidized rheumatoid arthritis. However, the suppressed maternal immunity caused reoccurrence of genital warts which was otherwise suppressed by body's immune response.

Therefore, the correct answer is option C.