PLI (LIT) Therapy at Shree IVF Clinic, Mumbai

Lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT), also known as Paternal Lymphocyte Immunisation (PLI) therapy, is one of the most unethically marketed treatments in India—and possibly only in India.

There are extremely specific indications for this treatment. Unfortunately, we receive patients from all over the country (and some parts of the world, too) with reports advising LIT therapy without any screening. 

This is an extremely dangerous and unethical practice. In our experience, only about 5–8% of patients who have LIT need the procedure. These include:

• Patients with confirmed CDC crossmatch incompatibility

• Couples using their sperm and egg (LIT has no role in donor gamete cycles)

• Patients in whom endometrial causes, anatomical causes, and endocrine causes have been ruled out

• Patients using chromosomally normal embryos

We DO NOT offer LIT therapy for patients with:

• Fibroids/Adenomyosis/Polyps
• Endometritis
• Anatomical or Endocrine causes of repeated IVF failure
• Embryos that are not genetically tested
• Patients using donor sperm or donor egg

Our honest and ethical approach is why we see so many patients from across the country.

Paternal Lymphocyte Immunisation (PLI) therapy, also known as Lymphocyte Immunotherapy (LIT), is an advanced fertility treatment approach that falls under the umbrella of reproductive immunology.

It is an extremely niche treatment that is only advised for patients in whom all other causes of repeated IVF failure or miscarriage have been ruled out and where immune-related rejection of the embryo is suspected.

The idea behind this therapy is to help the woman’s immune system tolerate the male genetic material in the embryo (which contains both male and female DNA).

LIT is done to help the maternal immune system produce “blocking antibodies” against the male antigens. This is similar to how vaccines work—by exposing the woman to the male partner’s white blood cells, her immune system is expected to “recognize” them and accept the embryo when it implants.

It is believed that recurrent pregnancy loss and repeated IVF failure may occur in some patients due to a lack of tolerance to paternal antigens. This is where LIT might help.

LIT therapy is advised only in very specific and limited situations. These include:

• Couples with recurrent pregnancy loss
• Couples with recurrent implantation failure
• Women with a lack of blocking antibodies
• Couples with incompatibility on the CDC crossmatch test
• Couples using their own sperm and egg

Before going ahead with LIT (lymphocyte immunization therapy), certain health conditions must be checked and confirmed as normal:

1. The embryos used should be chromosomally normal (euploid embryos).
2. The uterus and pelvic area should be completely healthy. LIT should not be done if the woman has fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis, or polyps in the uterus.
3. Any infection in the lining of the uterus (endometritis) must be ruled out.
4. LIT is not helpful if the IVF treatment involves donor eggs or sperm.
5. If the miscarriages are due to known genetic issues, LIT is not recommended.
6. If there are other clear causes for pregnancy loss (like anatomical or hormonal problems), LIT has no proven benefit.

If any medical abnormality is present in the pelvis, it has to be corrected, and only then should the patient undergo this therapy.

If any pelvic problems are found, they must be treated first before doing LIT.

It’s also important to know that LIT has very limited proven benefits — it helps less than 10% of patients. This is why it’s not commonly used around the world and is considered to be an experimental therapy as far as the patient outcomes are concerned. 

At our Shree IVF Clinic, whenever we perform LIT, we always inform and get a signed consent from the patient, making it clear that this is an experimental treatment.

When the maternal immune system is exposed to paternal lymphocytes through LIT, it starts producing “blocking antibodies”. These antibodies help protect the embryo from being attacked by the maternal immune system.

The presence or absence of these antibodies is checked using a test called the CDC crossmatch. This is the same test that is used before organ transplants, as it checks for compatibility between two individuals.

In our clinical experience, patients with incompatible CDC crossmatch results may benefit from LIT therapy, as it helps develop these protective antibodies.

1. Pre-treatment workup: Both partners are evaluated, and the male partner is asked to fast for 4–6 hours before the blood collection.
2. Blood collection: About 75 ml of blood is collected from the male partner.
3. Lymphocyte separation: The lymphocytes (white blood cells) are separated using a special filtration and layering process.
4. Injection preparation: The white cells are resuspended and prepared for injection. They are mounted on a slide for quality check.
5. LIT administration: The female partner receives small intradermal injections on the forearm (at 7–8 points, spaced 1 cm apart).
6. Monitoring: The patient is observed for 15–20 minutes post-procedure to check for any reactions.

The entire procedure takes about 35–40 minutes, and patients can go home the same day. After 6–8 weeks, a test is done to check whether blocking antibodies have formed. If not, the procedure is repeated.

We do not add any additional immune therapy once LIT is successful, although many centers wrongly do so.

The cost of LIT (Lymphocyte Immunization Therapy) treatment varies from clinic to clinic.

• Cost: The average cost of doing this treatment in India may vary from approximately ₹65,000 to ₹2.5 lakh based on the expertise of the unit in which the procedure is being conducted.

• Optional Add-Ons: HLA Typing, Endometrial Profiling (rarely useful in determining LIT need)

At Shree IVF Clinic, we follow strict eligibility criteria for LIT therapy. We are among the few clinics in India offering reproductive immunology consultations and therapies under our vertical, ImmuRepro Center.

Why patients trust us:

• We are honest—we turn away patients who do not require LIT.

• We are experienced—we do advanced immune profiling before recommending LIT.

• We are evidence-based—we do not combine unnecessary treatments with LIT.

• We are ethical—only 5–8% of referred patients are found eligible after screening.

On average, approximately one hundred patients who have been advised to do LIT consult us because we are a huge referral unit for reproductive immunology in our country. We would advise only 5 to 8 of these patients to undergo the LIT. That means in our country, approximately 90% of the patients still undergo and indicate LIT.

LIT is an experimental and specialized therapy. It should only be considered when:

• All other causes of repeated IVF failure or miscarriage have been ruled out

• Embryos are confirmed genetically normal

• Uterine anatomy is corrected

• You’re using your own eggs and sperm

• Immune tests like the CDC crossmatch show incompatibility

We urge patients to seek guidance from a trained reproductive immunologist before proceeding with LIT.

For ethical, evidence-based reproductive immunology care in Mumbai, consult Dr. Jay Mehta, reproductive immunology specialist in India, at Shree IVF Clinic—ImmuRepro Unit. For appointments and further inquiries, please contact us at 1800-268-4000. Your dream of growing your family deserves every opportunity to become a reality.

Contact Shree IVF Clinic today, and take the next step in your fertility journey with a team that cares deeply about your success.