The potential health effects of microchimerism are still unknown. Some researchers suggest that the foreign fetal cells could trigger a reaction similar to that of a host rejecting a transplant, eventually leading to an autoimmune disease. Other researchers suggest the fetal cells travel to areas of damaged or diseased tissue and act as stem cells, repairing the damaged areas. There may also be a link between microchimerism and breast cancer; physicians sometimes discover fetal immune cells in breast cancer stroma. However, the cells could be the cause of cancer, or they could be trying to prevent it, as per the previous theory. Again, there is not enough research on the matter to know for sure.

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