Immunological infertility
Antibodies are substances that circulate in the blood and body tissues, and
which normally protect the body from invasion by foreign bodies such as bacteria
and viruses, in order to prevent the body from getting an infection. For unknown
reasons the body may develop antibodies against sperm. The sperm will then be
“sensed” as foreign and are attacked by the body in a similar fashion to the way
that the body attacks infecting organisms.
Antisperm antibodies can be present in either or both partners. It can be
present either in the blood or in the genital tract secretions such as cervical
mucus and ejaculate.
There are different types of antibodies e.g. IgG, IgA and IgM. Antisperm
antibodies in the ejaculate will make the sperm ineffective by making them stick
together and preventing them from being released. In the female, antisperm
antibodies may interfere with the process of sperm transport and fertilization.
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