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Male Infertility A child of my own - Andrology Australia

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APPENDICESSPERM ANTIBODIESWhat are sperm antibodies?Antibodies are proteins made in the body by theimmune system to fight infection or disease. Theyattack anything in the body that is foreign (that isnot naturally part <strong>of</strong> the body). Sperm antibodies,also kn<strong>own</strong> as sperm autoimmunity, affect aboutone in every 16 infertile men.As sperm are produced at puberty, well after theimmune system has developed, the body willmake antibodies against the sperm (antispermantibodies). Normally, there are systems in thetestes that limit the response <strong>of</strong> the immunesystem to sperm and stop the production <strong>of</strong> spermantibodies. When these systems breakd<strong>own</strong>, forreasons that are not clear, the immune systemdevelops antibodies against sperm.Sperm antibodies are commonly found in twothirds <strong>of</strong> men who have had a vasecto<strong>my</strong>, injuryor infection in the epididymis. However, in manycases, the presence <strong>of</strong> sperm antibodies cannotbe explained.Sperm antibodiesare common in menwho have had avasecto<strong>my</strong>MALE INFERTILITY 81

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