“…These authors suggested that oestrogen inhibited the activity of these suppressor T cells, thus making the emergence autoantibodies feasible ( Carbone et al ., 1986 ). Fluctuations in disease severity during and after pregnancy are well described, lending further support to the involvement of oestrogens, progesterone and other hormones in disease severity ( Floyd and Roberts, 1992; Mitchell and Bebbington, 1992; Hardy and Rittenberry, 1994; Khanna et al ., 1994 ).…”