Allergic to sperm??

[Pandora]

A friend of mine has 4 girls, and she has been told by more than one carer that its highly likley that this is becuase she is allergic to her husbands sperm??
Has anyone heard of this? She laughed the first time she was told but when the next doctor suggested the same thing she took it a bit more seriously.

I've never heard of it before?

[Kahlan]

Hi,

My DH has anti-sperm antibodies, in which his own immune system attacks his sperm. Apparently women can have anti-sperm antibodies as well but this ususally result in preventing her conceiving at all.

Base on this, I would imagine it feasible for one's body (either husband or wife) to have an immune response (alergy or total rejection) of the y chromosome which meant only x chromosomes make it through to fertilisation and beyond.

[Shades]

For what it's worth, I got a cold/flu symptoms about a week after every insemination I had with my clinic (the only contact I've had with sperm)... I figured I was mildly allergic.

[jackrose]

I have heard of this before... in a pop culture reference rather than a medical one ...

There was an episode in Sex and the City where Charlotte found out that she was allergic to Trey's sperm and thus was having great difficulty conceiving.

Who knew trashy TV could be so educational!

Seriously though, glad your friend managed some successful conceptions (and I really did love 'Sex and the city'!!!)

[scarypinkfairy]

i work with chromosomes and i have never heard of anyone being allergic to a particular chromosome. i may be wrong but i cannot find any evidence on the net of people being allergic to the y chromosome.
if she was allergic i don't think she would conceive easily, but this wouldn't mean she could only fall pregnant with females.
interesting topic though.

[LimeSlice]

I know it exists, but was under the impression that it was more to do with the CM or something and the sperm. The body attacks sperm as a foreign body, not the chromosome itself. Not sure if it has anything to do with the seminal fluid as well though? And this led to the problem of conception as the mucous effectively kills the sperm before it gets to the egg...not sure how you get only girls though!

I could e completely off-base, would love to know!
I have no experience with it though, just bits and bobs of *maybe* information