A role for maternal IgG in protecting infants from allergen-specific IgE sensitization

After birth, transfer is through the gut, which is less efficient. [...]the vast majority of maternally transmitted IgG is acquired before birth. A second finding was that children with IgE sensitization against a particular allergen also had significantly greater allergen-specific IgG levels to that same allergen. [...]endogenous production by the child of IgG against the allergen did not provide the protection given by maternal allergen-specific IgG. [...]the role of maternal IgG in manipulating the IgE or IgG response in patients with nonallergic conditions remains an open question.