About Anti-sperm Antibodies

I've looked up links on this topic for online friends who have had to contend with this male-factor fertility problem.

There are a few different types of anti-sperm antibodies, they can attach at the head, mid-section or tail. Identifying what type you have is key as it helps the doc to know what kind of wash to do prior to an insemination.

General information about this condition:

Treatment of Infertility Associated with the Presence of Sperm Antibodies in the Man

Anti-Sperm Antibodies

Antisperm Antibodies

Immunological Factors & Infertility

Immunological Testing and Treatment for Infertility

When Sperm Meets Egg: Sperm-Mucus Interaction

Medical articles and abstracts about anti-sperm antibodies

Semen sample collection in medium enhances the implantation rate following ICSI in patients with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia

Sperm antibodies

Intra-uterine insemination versus cyclic, low-dose prednisolone in couples with male antisperm antibodies.

A comparison of intrauterine insemination in superovulated cycles to intercourse in couples where the male is receiving steroids for the treatment of autoimmune infertility.

Characterization of spermatozoa surface antigens by antisperm antibodies and its influence on acrosomal exocytosis.

[Chinese traditional medicine yi kang ling to treat immunity infertility caused by anti-sperm antibody: the experimental research II]

[Effect of antisperm antibodies on assisted reproduction]

[Effect of heavy metals on immune reactions in patients with infertility]

[Immunological approach to male contraception]



The Infetility Cure also mentions that ASA can be treated with chinese herbs, focusing on the pattern of deficiency or excess. At any rate, the anti-bodies indicate an immune reaction in the body and taking the efforts to try to improve the man's health overall should help provide some results, even if it is just better quality sperm for IVF. I'd do the MFI supplement cocktail, though consulting with a TCM practitioner would be an excellent place to start.

Epididymitis

Any infection of the reproductive organs has the capability to interfere with fertility, though it looks like this infection doesn't usually lead to lasting fertility problems when it is treated but there is a chance of obstruction or antisperm antibodies.

"Unilateral or bilateral obstruction of the genital tract (either congenital or acquired), epididymitis and varicocele are also sometimes associated with an autoimmune response against spermatozoa."
from: Antisperm Antibodies

Here are some links about epididymitis, and fertility for your reference:

What is Epididymitis and how is it treated?

Epididymitis And Orchitis

Orchitis and epididymitis

bacterial epididymitis

If your partner has this infection currently or he did previously I would suggest that after treatment by a doctor (probably with antibiotics), if you are TTC he should have another S/A to make sure everything is working properly.

Our UR didn't check for antibodies until we asked. That was frustrating to say the least since one RE (the male head of a university fertility center in our area -- who fired me as a patient b/c I didn't want to have abdominal surgery) I was talking with assumed we had an anti-body issue without any tests being done.

My partner likes to think that the doctor's know it all and I was raised to question doctor diagnoses (my dad went to medical school and was in practice as a dentist so we had a different perspective on the medical system). He's open to my research but one RE (a woman) told him a year ago in Feb that he probably always had a morphology issue and that it was genetic and there was nothing to be done about it -- yet the UR works in the same clinic and he is optimistic for us in spite of the bad morph numbers. (We don't have antibodies thank goodness -- we've got enough working against us).

Here's the fact sheet from the ASRM site about Diagnostic Testing for Male Factor Infertility