ANTI SPERM ANTIBODIES (ASAB)
Description
- Negative < 20.0 U /ml
Clinical significance
- Sperm are relatively protected from the immune system by a natural protective mechanism called the blood-testes barrier. Tight connections between the cells lining the male reproductive tract keep immune cells from gaining entry to the sperm within
- If an injury breaks this barrier, then the immune system has access to sperm and antibodies are formed. Anything that disrupts the normal blood testes barrier can result in the formation of antisperm antibodies
- This may include any of the following conditions viz. Vasectomy reversal, Varicocele, Testicular torsion, Congenital absence of the vas deferens, Testicular biopsy,Cryptorchidism, Testicular cancer , Infection (orchitis, prostatitis), inguinal hernia repair prior to puberty
- Antisperm antibodies can affect fertility by several mechanisms .Nearly 70% of men who have undergone a vasectomy reversal will have antibodies present on their sperm. Women have a much lower chance for developing antibodies to sperm. Less than 5% of infertile women can be shown to have antisperm antibodies. The specific antibodies produced are of three types (|gA, IgG and lgM) . lgG type antibodies are most common in men and lgA type can be found in women's mucus and follicular fluid.
When to get tested
- When a case of Infertility cannot be found and the results from another fertility test are not clear
Elevated level
Decreased level
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