Further Studies on Sperm-Agglutinating Antibody and Unexplained Infertility

TLDR

Unexplained infertility may involve sperm‑agglutinating antibodies. The authors investigate the immunologic aspects of infertility, extending a prior study to 214 patients. They categorized 214 patients into five groups based on history and clinical evaluation, with Group A defined by strict criteria such as two years of contraception‑free intercourse and normal reproductive examinations. Among 89 patients, a notable proportion of those without an organic cause for infertility possessed circulating sperm‑agglutinating antibodies.

Abstract

FOR THE past two years, we have been investigating the immunologic aspects of infertility. In a recent report¹we reviewed the history of the problem and summarized our data on 89 patients, carefully categorized as to fertility status. A remarkable percentage of the patients without demonstrable organic cause for infertility possessed circulating antibodies capable of agglutinating human spermatozoa. The present report is an extension of our previous publication, summarizing the results obtained in 214 patients. <h3>Materials and Methods</h3> All patients in this study were assigned to one of five categories strictly on the basis of history and clinical evaluation by one of us (RRF). <h3>Group A—Patients With No Demonstrable Organic Cause for Infertility.—</h3> Minimal criteria included two years without contraceptives, normal pelvic findings, Rubin test, hysterosalpingogram, endometrial biopsy, and pertinent blood studies on the patient, as well as a normal sperm count from the husband. In addition, most of