Association between sperm autoantibodies and enhanced embryo implantation rates during in vitro fertilization.

Previous investigations have demonstrated the propensity of strong IgA-class sperm autoantibodies to impede fertilization. However, because there has not been a general consensus on this issue, the aim of this retrospective analysis was to focus on the effects of different levels of IgA-class antibodies on each stage of the IVF procedure. This study has confirmed that high level IgA class antibodies significantly reduce fertilization rates but, unexpectedly, also has shown a very significant improvement in embryo implantation rates in patients with weak to moderate antibody levels. Interlaboratory prospective collaborative studies are being planned to test this preliminary observation more stringently.