Seminal Plasma Hypersensitivity aka Sperm Allergy
A woman’s desire to have a baby can be all consuming and a diagnosis of infertility can be life shattering. And although some of the causes of infertility cannot be overcome, there are many that can be. There are also a few causes of infertility that are less common, yet equally important. One such cause is seminal plasma hypersensitivity, or more commonly known as a sperm allergy. A sperm allergy is an immune system response to the proteins found in semen. When a woman has a sperm allergy, the body makes antibodies that tag sperm as being harmful to the body and destroy them. These antibodies will affect sperm motility by killing or disabling them. If is because of this that sperm allergies can have a severe impact on fertility. It is estimated that 5% of the female population has a sperm allergy and 20 to 25% have infertility as a result of a sperm allergy.
Initial signs that there might be a sperm allergy are painful intercourse or burning and/or itching after being intimate. There are two types of sperm allergies: localized and systemic. Localized sperm allergies will manifest symptoms immediately after the sperm has made contact and the systems will appear at the site of contact. Common symptoms include burning, pain, swelling, itching, blisters, and vaginal redness. Systemic sperm allergies can occur anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes after the sperm makes contact and affects not only the contact area but other systems within the body. Symptoms associated with this type of allergy include hives, soft tissue swelling, itching, difficulty breathing, and vascular collapse. It is possible for a woman to experience both localized and systemic sperm allergies.
Even though the exact cause of sperm allergies is unknown, it is speculated that genital tract infections, genital abnormalities, or women who are exposed to abnormal sperm could be the cause. Luckily, this condition is treatable and fertility can be regained. It is important to have a thorough exam by your gynecologist and then get a second opinion because often this condition can be misdiagnosed as recurrent yeast infections or sexually transmitted diseases. However, once a firm diagnosis has been made, there are three treatment options available. They include protein desensitization, sperm desensitization, and artificial insemination.
1. Protein Desensitization – This is a procedure in which small amounts of semen proteins from the male’s semen are injected into the woman’s blood once every ten to fifteen minutes for a period of several hours. This treatment is time consuming and in order for it to be effective the patient must be exposed to her partner’s sperm at least twice a week.
2. Semen Desensitisation – This procedure is similar to protein desensitization except that semen is injected into the vagina.
3. Artificial Insemination – This isn’t necessarily a treatment per se, but for a woman with a severe sperm allergy who wants to conceive, this procedure can help because the sperm is washed prior to insertion so that the proteins are removed.
Other treatments include medications such as antibiotics, antihistamines, epinephrine, leukotriene receptor antagonists, allergy shots, and non-traditional therapies such as acupuncture and herbal remedies. Some effective herbal remedies are burdock, chamomile, kudzu, peppermint oil, and probiotics. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent developing a sperm allergy except to use a condom when having sex with multiple partners.
On a side note, women are not the only ones to suffer from a sperm allergy. Men can develop an allergic reaction to their own sperm usually as a result of a vasectomy, a varicocele, or a congenital abnormality in the male genital tract. Treatments for men would consist of treating the underlying cause or even desensitization treatments.