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Sperm allergy is not an easy condition to diagnose because its symptoms resemble an intimate infection. However, a diagnosed allergy to a partner's semen can be successfully treated. Read about what a sperm allergy is made of, how it is diagnosed and treated.

Sperm allergy(SPHseminal plasma hypersensitivity ) is the immune response (i.e. the immune response) of the body to changes that they occur upon contact with the prostate specific antigen (PSA) that is present in the sperm plasma. Based on this finding, it is assumed that a woman who has had an allergy once - during sex with a specific partner - will also be at risk of allergy if she changes her partner.

The frequency of sperm allergy among women is not exactly known because, among others, scientists at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology1 , there are not enough data on this yet. However, they examined 1073 women - randomly selected and of different ages - in this regard. Symptoms of sperm allergy were diagnosed in 266 of them. On the other hand, scientists from the University of Manchester in the scientific journal "Human Fertility" published the results of their research2 , according to which every 12th woman may be allergic to her partner's sperm.

Sperm allergy - symptoms

Often, women aren't even aware that they have a sperm allergy. The main reason for this ignorance is that the symptoms of allergy are similar to those associated with skin inflammation or STDs. Allergy symptoms usually appear immediately after intercourse or up to an hour after it, but it happens - very rarely - that they occur after a few days or months.

Semen allergy occurs in sexually active women of all ages, and women with asthma or other allergies are more likely to be allergic to semen. Symptoms may only affect the vagina and vulva or, less frequently, the entire body. In extreme situations they cause deathanaphylactic shock .

Symptoms of sperm allergy in the vaginal area and vulva (common):

  • feeling of burning pain in the vagina,
  • redness,
  • itching,
  • baking,
  • swelling,
  • pruritus,
  • rash,
  • white vaginal discharge,
  • discomfort during sex.

Symptoms of allergy to semen on the skin and the whole body (occurring rarely):

  • shortness of breath,
  • Qatar,
  • hives,
  • anaphylactic shock.

Since semen allergy is uncommon, it is more likely that the above symptoms are allergic to latex, moisturizers, hygiene products, or vaginal contraceptives. Whenever they occur, consult a doctor who will make an appropriate diagnosis.

Allergic to sperm - diagnosis

When diagnosing a sperm allergy, other possible causes of the allergy are first ruled out. Then, allergy tests are performed using semen, most often the sperm of an allergic woman's partner. These are usually skin prick tests as with other types of allergies.

Semen allergy is also diagnosed in laboratory tests, showing the presence of specific IgE antibodies in the blood of a woman (i.e. related to a specific allergen, in this case, sperm). Antibodies are plasma proteins that our immune system produces in response to an infection. Comparative tests are also performed using the sperm of the patient's partner and two or three other men to determine whether an allergy occurs only to the sperm of one man (e.g. as a result of the partner taking certain medications or food) or whether it is allergic to a prostate antigen ( PSA) and will appear for a variety of partners. In the vast majority of cases, the second supposition is confirmed. Cervical mucus is also tested a few hours after intercourse, beforeovulation .

Sperm allergy treatment

The allergy to sperm may worsen over time or, on the contrary, disappear spontaneously, which is the case in most cases. Partners can reduce the discomfort associated with allergy symptoms by using condoms or by deciding to have intermittent intercourse or less sexual contact. In some cases, however, desensitization is necessary.

For this purpose, two methods are used: the first involves the doctor introducing into the woman's vagina - within a few hours, at 20-minute intervals - samples of less and less diluted semen. The second is by injecting small amounts of sperm into the vagina over a period of several weeks. It is also advisable to be more sexually active during this time,that her resistance to the partner's sperm increases. The effectiveness of the treatment undertaken depends on the severity of the allergy and the reaction of the woman's body to the therapeutic scheme used.

Worth knowing

Allergic to own sperm in men

Semen allergy can also appear in men - this is when an autoimmune reaction occurs, during which the male body begins to produce antibodies against its own sperm. In this situation, the sperm cells are still destroyed in his body, and the sperm after ejaculation does not contain them at all or are present in a very small amount. We are then dealing withimmunological infertility , diagnosed only when other causes of problems with the reproduction of children have been ruled out.

An allergy to sperm in men manifests itself immediately after ejaculation and resembles the symptoms of flu (fever, runny nose, severe fatigue). The disease is diagnosed after several days of sexual abstinence - on the basis of blood tests and sperm condition in semen.

Sperm allergy and pregnancy

As evidenced by the aforementioned research by scientists from the University of Manchester, allergy to sperm does not cause problems with getting pregnant, because sperm is not the cause of the allergy. Moreover, semen allergy is not a cause of infertility, but it causes discomfort during intercourse, which may be very unpleasant for a woman if the symptoms are high. In extreme cases,artificial insemination is used- the semen cleared of the allergenic PSA protein is combined with the egg and placed in the uterus.

Sources:

1.Prevalence of Human Seminal Plasma Hypersensitivity Among Symptomatic Women , https://www.researchgate.net/publication/14195388_Prevalence_of_Human_Seminal_Plasma_Hypersensitivity_Among_Symptomatic_Women.

2. Access to the research results at: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/06/12/semen-semen-allergy-affects-12-women-not-impede-conception_n_3426268.html.

About the authorAnna SierantEditor in charge of the Psychology and Beauty sections, as well as the main page of Poradnikzdrowie.pl. As a journalist, she cooperated, among others. with "Wysokie Obcasy", the websites: dwutygodnik.com and entertheroom.com, the quarterly "G'RLS Room". She also co-founded the online magazine "PudOWY Róż". He runs a blog jakdzżyna.wordpress.com.

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Intimate diseases