Unexpected sexual ailment causing female infertility at age 29, with signs medical professionals often missed.
In a unique and challenging case, a 29-year-old Lithuanian woman has been diagnosed with a rare allergy to semen, known as seminal plasma hypersensitivity (SPH). This condition, recognised as a Type 1 hypersensitivity, has caused infertility for the woman, who is determined to conceive with her partner.
SPH is a reaction to proteins found in male spermatic fluid, and tests have shown that the woman also has high sensitivity to the protein Can f 5, which is found in dog dander and urine. This potential sensitivity towards human semen is not uncommon, as it has been linked to SPH.
The woman experiences nasal congestion and sneezing after unprotected sex with her partner. In severe cases, couples may turn to using washed sperm free from seminal plasma in IVF treatments. However, the woman has chosen not to use condoms, finding antihistamines before sex to be 'ineffective' at managing her reactions.
Doctors have confirmed the woman's diagnosis of SPH, and treatment options include antihistamine medication before intercourse, anti-inflammatories after, and desensitization therapy using diluted seminal plasma. Despite these treatments, the woman has still been unable to conceive, and her allergic symptoms have expanded to include eye irritation and a burning sensation in her vulva.
This case is not a new phenomenon. SPH was first documented in 1967, but it was assumed that it affected fewer than 100 women worldwide for the next three decades. A 1997 study led by allergist Jonathan Bernstein revealed that nearly 12% of reported postcoital symptoms could be classified as SPH.
The woman's case was detailed last year in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, and the authors of the latest report noted that the root cause of infertility is often challenging to nail down. The woman's circumstances are further complicated by her asthma and sensitivities to mold, cat fur, dust, and mites.
In Lithuania, the woman can receive fertility specialist assessment including medical history, physical and hormonal examinations, and tailored fertility treatments such as lifestyle and medication adjustments, intrauterine insemination (IUI), in-vitro fertilization (IVF), or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), based on individual diagnosis and fertility issues.
Further research is needed to understand the relationship between SPH and pregnancy, and the case serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges that can arise in reproductive health.
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