THE EFFECT OF ANTISPERM AUTOANTIBODIES IN MALE OR FEMALE PARTNERS UNDERGOING IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION-EMBRYO TRANSFER

Objective: To evaluate the effects of sperm bound autoantibodies on th e outcome of IVF-ET. Design: Couples with positive antisperm autoantib odies as determined by the immunobead test were retrospectively classi fied into two groups: group A, consisting of 15 couples with positive antisperm antibodies in the female sera; and group B, consisting of 16 couples with sperm antibodies bound to motile spermatozoa from the ma le partner. Both groups were subclassified according to pregnancy outc ome, i.e., pregnant and nonpregnant cycles. Patients: Thirty-one coupl es with positive antisperm autoantibodies were compared with 312 coupl es with tubal infertility undergoing IVF-ET. Results: No significant c orrelation could be shown between the mean percent binding of any spec ific immunoglobulin (Ig) class (G, A, and M) nor localization of sperm binding with regard to fertilization and embryonic development among pregnant and nonpregnant cycles within groups A and B. The mean fertil ization rate was 59% in the control group, compared with 62% in group A and 52% in group B. Overall, the pregnancy rate (PR) in IVF-ET cycle s with positive sperm autoantibodies did not demonstrate a decreasing trend compared with controls. The PR per cycle, per oocyte retrieval, and per ET was higher in group A (47%, 50%, and 53%, respectively) com pared with group B (32%, 33%, and 37%) and to controls (27%, 31%, and 34%). The implantation rate was lowest in the control group (10%) comp ared with the study groups (group A, 20% and group B, 14%). Conclusion : In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer is not significantly affected by the presence of sperm autoantibodies in female sera used to supple ment the culture media or antibodies bound to inseminated sperm.