The incidence and influence upon fertility of antisperm antibodies in seminal fluid following vasectomy reversal |
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Authors: | P. L. MATSON,S. M. JUNK,J. R. W. MASTERS,J. P. PRYOR&dagger ,J. L. YOVICH |
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Affiliation: | PIVET Laboratory, Leederville, Perth, Western Australia. |
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Abstract: | Seminal plasma samples from men undergoing vasovasostomy were analysed for antisperm antibodies using the indirect immunobead test. A pre-operative assessment showed antisperm antibodies of either IgA or IgG class to be present in 9/27 (33.3%) men. A significant increase (P less than 0.05) in the post-operative incidence of the antibodies was seen in the men who achieved patency (27/45, 60%) but not in those men for whom no sperm were seen in the ejaculate (4/10, 40%). After follow-up for a minimum of 1 year, conception rates for couples in which the male partner had achieved patency were similar in the groups with no antibodies detected post-operatively (12/18, 66.7%) or with IgA alone (2/3, 66.7%), but was reduced significantly in the presence of IgG (1/9, 11.1%; P less than 0.05) or IgA + IgG (3/15, 20.0%; P less than 0.01). |
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Keywords: | antisperm antibodies vasectomy reversal infertility |
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