The Significance of Antibodies to Sperm in Infertile Men and their Wives

Vaginal and Cervical Factors

“…42,85 It is difficult to accept this hypothesis completely, since some investigators have found that F(ab) 2 fragments of antisperm antibodies can also inhibit mucus penetration in spite of the fact that these immunoglobulin fragments lack an Fc piece. 86 There are many treatments for the problem of antisperm antibodies including immunosuppression with corticosteroids, 87 intrauterine insemination, 88 diluting cervical mucus antibodies by administration of exogenous estrogen 89 or menotropins, 90 in vitro fertilization, 91 and condom therapy 92 (to avoid further antigenic stimulation). Sperm that have been previously frozen may have a sufficiently altered antigenic structure so that sperm antibodies will no longer attach, 93 although some investigators doubt this possibility.…”