Patient's question:
We've been married for three years and haven't been able to get pregnant. Finally, we entered the reproductive center. After a series of tests, neither my husband nor I had any problems. However, the blood test results showed that I have antisperm antibodies. The doctor said this is the reason for my infertility, which is called immunological infertility.Doctor's answer:
1. Frequent sexual activity leads to the production of antisperm antibodies in women, making male sperm an antigen for the female body. After a woman comes into contact with male sperm, especially when it reaches her bloodstream, her body may produce antisperm antibodies. These antibodies then attack sperm in the female body, rendering them inactive, losing their motility, and impairing their normal function, leading to infertility. All of these are referred to as immunological infertility.2. The male body produces antisperm antibodies. Under normal circumstances, sperm are separated from the body's immune substances, such as immunoglobulins, and do not come into contact with them. Since sperm are produced postnatally, they should not normally interact with the immune system. However, the immune system may recognize the body's own sperm as foreign substances under certain conditions, such as when there is damage or inflammation. In such cases, the immune system may attack sperm, treating them as antigens and producing antisperm antibodies. This triggers an immune response, which can lead to a decline in sperm quality, such as an increase in abnormal sperm rates, reduced motility, easier coagulation, higher mortality, and decreased vitality, ultimately resulting in male infertility.