Clinical study on circulating antisperm antibodies in women with recurrent abortion

Couples with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA) were analyzed for circulating antisperm antibodies (Ab) with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a Franklin-Dukes (F-D) and a sperm immobilization test(SIT). The three tests were positive in 31.5%, 25.9% and 18.5% for wives and 24.1%, 11.1% and 7.4% for husbands in RSA couples. There was a statistical significance (P less than 0.01) as compared with the control group. The ELISA method was found to be most sensitive, and the positive rate of antisperm antibodies in wives was higher than that in husbands. The Ab titer of RSA group varied within 1:8 approximately 1:512, with 60% above 1:32. The pregnant weeks (P greater than 0.05) did not seem to affect the antisperm Ab titer, nor did the aborting frequency. Our study suggests that antisperm Ab is one of the important causes of RSA in women.