Origins and evolution of reproductive immunology: a personal perspective

• Brief history of reproductive immunology from the 19th century to the present day.
• Immunology of infertility and of normal and pathological pregnancy.
• Development of innovative technologies.
• Founding of the Journal of Reproductive Immunology.
• Significant advances, but many old questions still unanswered.

This is a brief personal assessment of the origins and development of the field of reproductive immunology from the 19th century to the present day, with special reference to the founding of the Journal of Reproductive Immunology in 1979.