An Evaluation of Immunologic Factors of Infertility

Schwimmer, Walter B.; Ustay, K.; Behrman, S.J.

doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(16)36241-0

Cited by 80 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The presence of ABO haemagglutinating antibodies in the secretions of the lower female genital tract is now well established (Gershowitz et al, 1958;Solish et al, 1961 ;Tyler, Tyler & Denny, 1967;Schwimmer, Utsay & Behrman, 1967;Parish et al, 1967). However, the origin of these agglutinins, the mech¬ anism of their production, their properties other than erythrocyte agglutination, and, above all, their function are still unknown.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of Abo Isohaemagglutinins Among Fertile and Infertile Women

Solish¹

1969

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The frequency of occurrence and the titres of cervical mucus isoagglutinins were determined in a group of 204 infertile women and compared to those in 82 fertile women from approximately the same parent population. Cervical agglutinins were found more frequently among fertile women than among infertile women, the reverse of that which would be expected if these agglutinins were involved in the establishment of a deficiency of A and B children among ABO-incompatible matings. Data from an additional 1403 Negro, Puerto Rican and Caucasian women showed that the frequency of occurrence and the titres of cervical isoagglutinins varied with ethnic origin and ABO blood type of the subject but not with Rh, or MN blood types. Negro women had cervical agglutinins more frequently and in higher titres than Caucasian or Puerto Rican women while Puerto Rican women had the highest serum titres of isohaemagglutinins. Type O women of all ethnic groups have higher titres as well as more frequent occurrence of cervical agglutinins than type A or type B women of the same ethnic group. No relationship between age and the occurrence of cervical agglutinins was found but, among women who have cervical agglutinins, age does have a significant effect on the titre.Season of the year and phase of the menstrual cycle have little or no effect on the presence of anti-A or anti-B agglutinins in the cervical secretions. If cervical agglutinins play any role in the process of fertilization it is a more complex one than previously supposed. The evidence presented here makes it unlikely that cervical haemagglutinins can, by prezygotic selection, account for the reported 25% deficit of blood type A and/or B children among ABO-incompatibly mated parents.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution of Abo Isohaemagglutinins Among Fertile and Infertile Women

Solish¹

1969

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“…(Paine & Behrman, 1968) (Table 2) demonstrate a perplexing variation in the incidence of positive results in both infertile and control subjects. The relevance of the micro-agglutination test to immunological infertility is further questioned by its poor specificity in experi¬ ments in vitro (Qjuinlivan, 1966;Israelstram, 1969), and by the demonstration that its activity lies in the /»-globulin rather than the y-globulin fraction of serum (Boettcher & Kay, 1969 (Schwimmer et al, 1967a;Glass & Vaidya, 1970). Confusion also attends the results of a variety of other methods for the detection of humoral anti-sperm antibodies in infertile women (Table 3).…”

Section: Sperm Immobilization Testmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparison of Screening Tests for Anti-Sperm Activity in the Serum of Infertile Women

Jones¹,

Ing²,

Kaye³

1973

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“…Although the sperm-agglutination technique has been considered a poor test for the quantification of agglutinating sperm antibodies (Shulmann, 1971a), it has been widely used. Considerable differences between the results of screen¬ ing tests concerning the percentage of women with sperm antibodies have been published by different authors: in an unselected population, figures from 7% to 80% have been described (Dukes & Franklin, 1968;Isojima et al, 1972;Schwimmer et al, 1967).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%