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  • Title: Clinical significance of sperm antibodies in infertility.
    Author: Mathur S, Baker ER, Williamson HO, Derrick FC, Teague KJ, Fudenberg HH.
    Journal: Fertil Steril; 1981 Oct; 36(4):486-95. PubMed ID: 7197233.
    Abstract:
    Sperm antibody (AB) titers, determined by passive hemagglutination and cytotoxicity assays, were found to be elevated in 62 males and 46 females of 103 couples with primary infertility; 15 males and 12 females of 25 couples with secondary infertility; 10 males and 8 females of 18 couples with histories of repeated abortion; 21 males and 17 females of 25 couples in which the husband had a history of prostatitis; and 29 males and 17 females of 38 couples in which the husband had oligospermia. Of the couples in which one or both partners had elevated sperm AB titers, only 4 achieved pregnancy: 3 from the group with secondary infertility, all of which ended in spontaneous abortions, and 1 in which the husband was oligospermic. This suggests an etiologic role of sperm immunity in infertility. Immunosuppressive treatment of autoimmune males with prednisone (15 mg/day for 3 weeks to 6 months) resulted in significant decreases in AB titers. Pregnancies were achieved by 9 of 25 couples after treatment (36%). The observed increase in pregnancy rate in the prednisone-treated versus untreated groups of couples with elevated sperm AB titers was significant (P less than 0.02).
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