Skip to main content
Log in

Successful pregnancy after artificial insemination in a case of human seminal plasma allergy

  • Original Article
  • Infertility Treatment
  • Published:
Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Abstract

Human seminal plasma allergy in women is uncommon, but causes a variety of serious reactions, including urticaria, dyspnea and vomiting, in those that are affected. Semen barriers, such as condoms, are the most widely advocated method for avoiding these reactions. However, this is not acceptable to couples who wish to have children. We present a case of a woman with human seminal plasma allergy who became pregnant after the eighth cycle of artificial insemination using washed sperm from her spouse.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bernstein JA, Sugumaran R, Bernstein DI, Bernstein IL. Prevalence of human seminal plasma hypersensitivity among symptomatic women. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 1997; 78: 54–58.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Chen WW, Baskin M. A 33-year-old woman with burning and blistering of perivaginal tissue following sexual intercourse. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2004; 98: 126–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Halpern BN, Ky T, Robert B. Clinical and immunological study and exceptional case of reagenic type sensitization to human seminal fluid. Immunology 1967; 12: 247–258.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Prndini P, Marchesi S. Allergy to human seminal fluid: a case of self-diagnosis. Allergy 1990; 54: 530.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Iwahashi K, Miyzaki T, Kuji N, Yoshimura Y. Successful pregnancy in a woman with a human seminal plasma allergy. A case report. J Reprod Med 1999; 44: 391–393.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ferre-Ybarz L, Basagana M, Coroleu B, Bartolome B, Cistero-Bahima A. Human seminal plasma allergy and successful pregnancy. J Invest Allergol Clin Immunol 2006; 16: 314–316.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Shah A, Panjabi C. Human seminal plasma allergy: a review of a rare phenomenon. Clin Exp Allergy 2004; 34: 827–838.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ohman JL Jr, Malkiel S, Lewis S, Lorusso JR. Allergy to human seminal fluid: characterization of the allergen and experience with immunotherapy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1990; 85: 103–107.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. De Cuyper C, Bogaerts Y, Vandekerckhove F, Gunst J. Intravaginal desensitization and successful pregnancy in a woman with seminal fluid allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1996; 97: 1427–1428.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Nusam D, Geva A, Kalderon I, Cohen S. Intravaginal desensitization to seminal fluid. Allergy 1999; 54: 765.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Park JW, Ko SH, Kim CW, Bae SW, Hong C. Seminal plasma anaphylaxis: successful pregnancy after intravaginal desensitization and immunodetection of allergens. Allergy 1999; 54: 990–993.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Shapiro SS, Kooistra JB, Schwartz D, Yunginger JW, Haning RV Jr. Induction of pregnancy in a woman with seminal plasma allergy. Fertil Steril 1981; 36: 405–407.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Rietschel RL, Fowler JF Jr. Fisher’s Contact Dermatitis, 5th edn. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Drouet M, Sabbah A, Hassuon S. Thirteen cases of allergy to human seminal plasma. Allergy 1997; 52: 112–114.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aiko Makino.

About this article

Cite this article

Makino, A., Sato, T., Hattori, Y. et al. Successful pregnancy after artificial insemination in a case of human seminal plasma allergy. Reprod Med Biol 7, 119–122 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0578.2008.00208.x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0578.2008.00208.x

Key words

Navigation