DETECTING SEMEN ANTISPERM ANTIBODIES IN THE CLINICAL LABORATORY

Although antisperm antibodies are associated with infertility, many ho spital laboratories do not test for these antibodies. This study inclu ded 520 males who were referred for infertility evaluation. Semen samp les from all patients were tested for antisperm antibodies by using th e mixed antiglobulin reaction and immunobead binding tests. These resu lts were correlated with the findings of semen analyses, postcoital te sts, and sperm penetration assays. Eighty-eight men (16.9%) tested pos itive for IgG, IgA, or IgM antisperm antibodies. More samples tested p ositive for IgG antibodies by the mixed antiglobulin reaction than by the immunobead test (n=71 vs n=42); 57 samples tested IgA positive. Bo th methods showed good reproducibility (97.6%). Antibody-positive male s had a higher incidence of abnormal semen analyses (92% vs 74%) and o ther immune-related fertility test results (94.2% vs 38.4%). The prese nce of antisperm antibodies correlates with other abnormal semen param eters. Testing for these antibodies should be included in an infertili ty evaluation and could be readily implemented in a clinical laborator y.