In all vertebrates immune system action is regulated by a set of molecules woven into the surface of an individual's cells. In humans this mediating complex determines or at least influences a range of factors from disease immunity to organ transplant compatibility to sexual attraction to the probability of miscarriage. You can read more about it here:
Major histocompatibility complex
Other than the nervous system, the immune system is probably the most complex organ system in the human body. White blood cells are effective at destroying harmful bacteria and viruses that enter the body, but need guidance to do their job, which is where the molecules encoded in the MHC come into play. No two people have exactly the same MHC, and since a more cosmopolitan mix of histocompatibility molecules can better thwart the menagerie of threats that exist in nature, it's clearly favorable to inherit very different complexes from each parent. Though the exact mechanism is unknown, research has shown that people with more different MHCs tend to be more attracted to each other, and that early pregnancy loss is less likely between couples with well-differentiated complexes. For all of our intelligent dreaming and scheming, nature seems to guide us toward what's good for us even when we can't quite define what that is.
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